


The Persephone Chronicle

by edr



Category: Guardians of Childhood - William Joyce, Rise of the Guardians (2012)
Genre: Additional Warnings In Author's Note, Anxiety Disorder, Arranged Marriage, BDSM, Demon!Bunny, Demon!Jack, Depression, Hurt/Comfort, Loss of Child, M/M, Mental Torture, Mpreg, Physical Abuse, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Psychological Drama, Rape, Recovery, Stockholm Syndrome, Summary of basic events at end of triggering chapters, Universe Alteration, godly interference, intersex!characters, love potion, mentions of past rape, so you can skip one if you need to, unhealthy BDSM practices
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-08-21
Updated: 2014-05-03
Packaged: 2017-12-24 04:28:16
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 7
Words: 39,363
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/935353
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/edr/pseuds/edr
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Since the Dark Ages, Hades has required a companion at all times. Seraphina appeases him with elemental spirits who are forced into unhappy marriages with him.</p><p>Jack has kept his marriage a secret for years, but when the Guardians find out the truth, things go astray. <br/>Bunnys' passionate intercession will cause and uproar that will shake the underworld to its core.</p><p>This time there might not be a homecoming for either spring or winter.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Virginity

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I don't own ROTG. Obviously. Because if I did I wouldn't be writing NSFW fanfiction- I would be making the prequel...  
> well... actually I would probably still be writing NSFW stuff, but I still don't own it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> {Just a couple of notes. You guys can probably tell from the tags but this isn’t going to be a fluffy walk-in-the-park. I believe in real emotions and real problems and I want my characters to feel them. I have also decided to go a bit dark with this story. Hopefully you’ll agree that it’s not too evil. Just warning some of the marshmallow gooey-feeling loving readers out there- this may not be the fic for you. Anyway-  
> Enjoy! Please remember to comment underneath. I need to know what to improve upon for the next chapter! Love you guys!!}

The whimpers in the darkness were enough for him tonight. The boy had never been much of a screamer, always silent and ever changing to any environment. He hated him for that. But tonight he had gotten a few tears. It would have to do for now. Soon the warm mornings would give way to the brunt of summer sun and his new companion would arrive. This one would scream for him. This one always screamed.  
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Jack gently pushed open the window that North had left cracked for him. He floated inside, immediately feeling the warmth of the workshop envelop him. He ghosted down towards the floor, hearing North’s booming laughter above the steady din of toy-making. He figured that if any of the other guardians were there they would be in the kitchen; most of their ‘report meetings’ ended up going from pleasant socialization to ‘how many cookies can we fit in our mouths?’ within the first thirty minutes of arriving.  
Jack sailed down one corridor after another, hearing the tinkling of dream sand and he wove his way through the elaborate illusions that Sandy had created. He finally reached the doorway to the kitchen to find all four other guardians, red faced and hunched together. Tooth looked like she would steam at the ears if she blushed any harder. Bunny had a satisfied smirk on his face as he concluded his sentence “-and then he licked it.”

“Ah! Jack!” North stumbled a bit as he got up from the bench, his face matching his shirt, “How you been?”  
“I’m good,” Jack smiled, “What were you guys talking about?”  
Toothiana immediately averted her gaze, face crimson once again. Bunny mumbled something that sounded a lot like ‘carrots’ and sandy’s dream sand immediately dissipated before it could materialize into what he was thinking.  
North covered for them “We were discussing romance, Jack.” And Bunny snorted.  
“Romance?” Jack walked to the table and plunked himself down between Tooth and Bunny, grabbing a cookie and noticing the half filled bottle of North’s dark whiskey. Toothiana hiccuped as Jack carefully chewed his first bite, turning to those in the room.  
“Well don’t stop because of me. Geez guys”.

It was awkwardly silent for the next few moments before Sandy made a snowflake and a sun, quickly melting the snowflake.  
“Oh that’s right!” Tooth exclaimed, “It’s almost summer! You’ll get some free time, won’t you Jack?” He narrowed his eyes at the change of subject, but answered, “I’ll actually still be pretty busy.”  
“Wha’? Why?” Bunny asked, refilling his glass with the rich brown liquid, Jack wrinkled his nose at the smell of the hard liquor. They don’t usually drink.

“Well I’ve still got to finish frosting the northern hemisphere then regulate the currents and work on this global warming thing that everyone keeps freaking out about.” Jack said, although truly he knew that it was a it of a lie. He did need to get those things done. He just wouldn’t be doing them during the summer.  
“You work on global warming?” North asked, taking a cookie for himself.  
“Ehhh I don’t really have a big part in it. It’s mostly Seraphina’s stuff. She just makes all of us pitch in occasionally.” Before anyone could answer he nudged Bunny in the side and said, “So-- who was licking what?” The carrot cake in Bunny’s mouth proved to be much too crumbly for lungs to handle as the rabbit sucked in air. He sputtered, spewing crumbs across the table.  
“Uhhh... nothin’ mate. It’s just ahhh”  
“Oh come on!”

“No! Don’t! I absolutely forbid it!” Toothiana was using her ‘queen’ voice, “He doesn’t need to hear all the vile things that you do in dark alleyways. Come along Jack, us virgins have to stick together.”  
Jack didn’t miss a beat, “Heh- I’m not a virgin,” and realized that the table had gone completely still.  
Tooth’s eyes looked like they were about to pop out of her head. North and Sandy were both staring slack jawed and Bunny looked like he was about to burst from holding back laughter.  
He narrowed his eyes- surely they knew?  
“I... But... you..I” Tooth seemed to have lost the ability to form complete sentences.  
Surely Seraphina had told them? She was their friend!  
He looked around for confirmation from someone.  
“Wait... none of you knew--” He stopped himself. Maybe if they didn’t already know he wouldn’t have to say anything about--  
“But you told me you had never been with a woman!” Tooth blurted out.

Welp... things just got awkward....

Jack stared, feeling his face heat up as he realized that he had been assumed to be an unsullied heterosexual. It was both a little sweet and a little strange that his friends had seen him as some little innocent child, when they couldn’t be further from the truth.  
“Aww leave the poor larriken alone, Tooth. He ain’t a ba-by” Bunny’s voice seemed strained.  
He might never have to tell them.  
North got up and pulled another glass from the cabinet, filling and offering it to Jack. The boy accepted, but didn’t actually want the alcohol inside it.

“I am going to need to be more drunk for this” North admitted pouring another measure and downing it.  
Bunny had a smirk on his face, “We were tellin’ about our first times. Care ta share?”  
Jack did not care to share, thank you very much, but didn’t want to be rude. They were finally attempting to pull him up to the ranks of ‘adult’ in the group and he didn’t want them to think that he couldn’t talk about a simple thing like sex.  
“Not really much to tell.” He shrugged and took a sip of the heady liquid, instantly regretting it.  
Tooth had sat back down in her chair, eyes trained on Jack’s face intently.  
“One night stand?” Bunny said, all knowing.

“Mmmm... not really.” They were getting pretty close to the subject that Jack didn’t want to discuss. Him.  
“OH?” North’s voice was louder than he expected and Jack laughed, “A boyfriend”.  
Jack made a non-committal sound. Maybe he should have said yes. They would have probably been appeased with that answer.  
“So not a boyfriend and not a one night stand... don’t tell me ya paid for it?” Bunny said horrified and Jack slugged him in the arm.  
“Eww! No! Geez- I’m not that desperate.”

“So... what is he to ya?” Bunny said.  
“I don’t know... significant other?” Jack found this conversation being more awkward then he envisioned.  
“Wait, you guys aren’t together now, right?” Tooth chimed in. Jack went red in the face and the table exploded into shouts.  
“You had a boyfriend this whole time and you didn’t tell me!”  
“Haha Good for you Jack!”  
“I may cark it! Frostbite ya’ been holdin’ out on us!”  
“Who is he?!” Jack felt his face flushing  
“Ya should have him round”  
“WE HAVE PARTY!”  
“Is he free tonight?” He could hear the pounding of his heart in his ears.  
“Betcha he’s a bit of a blighter, ain’t he mate?”  
“What’s his name” He felt like he couldn’t feel his body, like it wasn’t him sitting there under the barrage of questions.  
“Do you live together?”  
“How long have ya been together?”  
“He is elemental, no?” Jack couldn’t take it anymore:

“STOP!” He yelled and the other guardians sheepishly quieted down. Sandy’s dream sand had been melding into shapes so fast that it took a while to slow it’s momentum. Jack felt his heart in his throat.  
“Okay... I don’t really know how... I mean, I thought that you all knew... because Seraphina doesn’t really keep it a secret... but I... I’m... married.”  
There was absolute silence at this confession. Jack didn’t know how to go on, but forced himself to, babbling out something that he hoped made sense.  
“It was arranged and I don’t see him very often. We don’t really speak and he doesn’t even know that I’m a guardian. I don’t think he’ll be coming to many parties... He’s just not the type.” The other guardians were looking at him with something that he could only describe as pity.  
“I... I don’t want this to change anything. When I’m with him I’m a different person than when I’m with you guys. Can we just forget all this and--”  
“You’re married?” Bunny’s mind seemed to catch up to his mouth and he stammered, “But... but I thought you had been alone before Manny chose you.”

“Well... no... not completely alone. I go live with him every year for a while.”  
“Why don’t you live with him all the time?” Tooth asked, he could hear the sadness in her voice. He didn’t want to but he felt a burning resentment pool in his stomach. She shouldn’t feel sorry for him. He was a winter spirit. It was common knowledge that Seraphina married off all the elementals to keep peace in the realms.  
“It’s not a big deal, he just has a lot of work to do and so do I.”  
“What he spirit of?” North asked, almost reverently, empty whiskey glass in hand.  
Jack was silent for a while.  
“Jack?” Tooth could see the tears forming in the corners of the younger’s eyes.  
“I... don’t really want to talk about this anymore.” He mumbled standing.  
“Wait Jack, we didn’t mean anythin‘ by it.” Bunny spoke up again. Sandy nodded emphatically.  
“Sit Jack, we change subject.” North said.

“No... I’ll just go.” Jack said, but Bunny wasn’t having any of it.  
“Listen mate, we’re just tryin’ to get to know you better. If ya didn’t want to talk about it then ya shouldn’t have mentioned it.”  
Jack bristled, “Oh, and be thought of as a child for the rest of my existence? I’m just trying to fit in, not spill every single secret I have.”  
“You do fit in Jack--” Tooth started but Bunny interrupted her.  
“Listen, mate. I get that ya might not wanna talk about it, but at some point yar gonna have ta trust us.”  
“I just...” Jack was at a loss for words. Bunny stood up, the anger fading from his face as he crossed to him.

“We’ve all had heartbreak, Frostbite. We all have our regrets. Tooth is still a virgin cause she’s too nervous ta go out with anyone, North is a giver and always ends up with his heart in shambles. I lost my entire race and my mate and eva since then I’ve been a complete sluzza, and Sandy is inta some really kinky stuff.” Jack felt his face go red as the rest of the guardians shuffled awkwardly, “But tha’s all okay. We let each other know all the weird and scary and sad stuff in our lives cause we all know that the others have got stuff just as bad.”  
Jack felt like he wanted to cry and laugh at the same time.

North chimed in “You don’t have to tell us anymore. Not till you are ready”.  
Bunny lead Jack back to the table.  
“Really? Kinky stuff?” Jack joked as he slid back into the booth. Sandy shrugged and Bunny whispered “Dream whips” into his ear. Jack shivered.

As the banter continued Jack felt the pressing need to tell them. They were his friends. His allies. They already knew and accepted that he was in an arranged marriage. It shouldn’t matter who it was with right? He felt an uncomfortable shame spread through his whole body. Being a virgin or a slut or even a hopeless romantic was better than what he was.  
To keep his fingers busy and mind muddled he began to drink more and more of the whiskey, feeling himself getting giddy as the night wore on.  
At one point he remembered dancing on the table with Bunny to North’s echoing voice singing some form of Russian’s drinking song. Tooth had taken to performing aerial feats for shots of the recently opened vodka bottle and even Sandy’s dream sand seemed slurred and fuzzy.  
At some point their conversation became serious again. Jack had never been this drunk in his life and he felt like this probably wasn’t a normal thing for the other guardians as well. Bunny was telling them another raucous tale of a one night stand and his- unique- flexibility when Jack suddenly broke--  
“Hades!” His voice cracked as he confessed, his stomach tying in knots as the others turned to face him, “I’m married to Hades!”  
Bunny turned his drunken grin to him, “Pssshhh! What? No, you’re not!”  
Jack took a deep breath, “Yes, I am. Oh gods... I swear I didn’t want it to happen, but I had to to keep the balance.”  
“Wait... are you being serious?” Tooth managed, although she looked like she was about to pass out, “The dead guy?”  
“The god of death, yeah. Hades.”  
Bunny took a moment before saying, “Wait... so... you’re tha queen uh tha Underworld?”  
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Her face could be found in the gentle curve of the wind swept clouds, her hair in trickling brooks. Her eyes peered from the dots of sun dappling on green leaves and her laugh trembled at the very edge of bird song.

Aster sat as still as a stone; a gargoyle, whose only hint of life was the twitching tip of a nose set between determined eyes. She knew he was waiting for her, yet she enjoyed his stoic stance: a warrior waiting at attention. He had been standing in the clearing for hours, fur lightly dewed with mist from the waterfall in the babbling brook nearby. He was unwavering in his bearing, though his breath smelled heavily of rum. 

Finally Seraphina felt that he had lingered long enough, revealing herself to him from the mist. He blinked and took her in, her hair and clothes moving unearthly through the air, as if made of clouds themselves. She peered into his eyes, knowing his question before he spoke.  
"Why?" His voice cracked from misuse.

She studied him for a moment before speaking, "To keep the balance." His upper lip quirked in a small sneer before his mask of indifference returned, "But why Jack?"  
"It was not my decision. Hades required tribute."  
"Tha's the most ridiculous reason ah've eva' heard." His voice was full of all the accusations that he kept inside, biting his tongue until he tasted copper. She knew why he was upset, even if he didn't yet.

"Your heart is heavy for your friend, but you should know that he does you, and all of the people of earth, a great service." She motioned Bunny to move towards the water, gliding seamlessly beside him. She waved her hand, settling the mist that sparkled in the sun's warm rays. With gentle fingers she reformed shapes, bodies in the airy substance. Bunny watched curiously. The figures began to take form, three men surrounded by thousands of bowing disciples.  
"I don't know how much you have paid attention to the other spirits, but before the guardians were established in the Dark Ages, other spirits took precedence in the human consciousness."  
"I rememba'"  
"Hades was one of them. His family ruled as immortals for years, drawing power from their own believers." She gestured to the three figures, "Most prominent were Hades, Lord of the Underworld; Poseidon, God of the Sea; and Zeus, Ruler of the Sky. They had innumerable believers, and immense power." Bunny nodded in understanding. The more believers one had, the more power.

"As the ancient Greek cultures were overtaken by the romans their powers waned slightly, and by the time the Middle and Dark Ages came to be they were finally noticing the difference in their powers; growing weaker." As she spoke the followers started to begin leaving. Both Zeus and Poseidon fell to their knees, while Hades stood firm.  
"So there was an imbalance?" Bunny asked pointing at the stooped figures.  
"Yes." Seraphina sighed, “Poseidon and Zeus were greatly weakened by the loss of followers, but as the world transfigured into one that followed Christianity, Hades found that his powers were not waning.”  
“And why is that?”

“Christians belief in a satanic figure empowered him as well. The Underworld and Hell are so similar that many believers in Satan don’t realize that they are actually believing in Hades.”  
“But they’re two separate beings entirely” Bunny was confused.  
“Our life, all of the immortals’ life, depends directly on the human consciousness. When the humans think of us we are. It is the way.”

“So you’re saying that Hades still has all of his powers because tha humans believe that there’s an afterlife?”  
“More or less”  
“But why did Zeus an’ Poseidon lose power? Do the humans not believe in lighten’ an’ tha sea anymore?” The sarcasm dripped from his muzzle before he could staunch it. 

Her gaze was cool and collected, but it made his stomach roll in discomfort, “They do not believe that Zeus and Poseidon control them anymore. Belief in a thing and belief in a deity are two different things. The humans will still have hope when you are dead, Aster.” Her words cut deep into him, chilling him, “As they will continue to believe that someone controls the ways of nature after I have passed from the human consciousness.”

She waved her hand and the mist reformed into two figures. Bunny recognized the horned figure of Hades, but was surprised to see a beautiful maiden standing with him. Her hair and gown were both long, flowing gracefully down her slender frame.  
“You are aware of the marriage of Hades and Persephone?” Bunny nodded as the girl began to dance through an ethereal glen. 

Mother Nature continued as if he hadn’t,  
“Persephone was the daughter of Zeus and the harvest-goddess, Demeter. She was the embodiment of spring and Hades, the lord of darkness and despair, fell desperately in love with her.” The figures began to move, Bunny’s eyes trained expectantly. “His passion grew too much and he took her from her mother, hiding her in the Underworld. When her mother pleaded with Zeus to see her cause he ordered his brother to release the maiden. He agreed, but before she could slip past his grasp, Hades tricked her.” At this point the young girl accepted a small bowl from the dark god, “She ate but a few pomegranate seeds from his kingdom and was marked as his. From then on she was forced to stay with him from the end of Harvest to the beginning of spring; cursed to spend eternity moving from the free world and the land of the dead.” Bunny shuddered at the thought of being trapped in the Underworld.

“What does this have ta’ do with Jack? I thought Hades loved Persephone.”  
“Oh, he does. Quite magnificently so, I would say.” She directed Bunny’s eyes back to the mist where the figures were changing once again. He was startled to recognize Seraphina in the swirling mist, accompanied by a starved-looking Persephone.

“The toll was too much for her. Years ago, Persephone came to me and begged me to help her. Her mother, Demeter, had long ago passed from the human consciousness. Persephone was almost completely gone herself, but she needed to make sure that she would not be trapped in the underworld forever.” Bunny glanced up startled. What had Seraphina done?  
“With her final bit of power she transferred ever last bit of believers to me, they would then fully see me as the maiden of nature. With that her spirit was broken and she passed.”  
“So she went ta’ the Underworld?”

“Not quite. The ancient greeks believed that to pass into the Underworld one would need payment to cross the river. As a faction of the greek belief, Persephone would have to comply to this as well. She would have to be buried with coins on her eyelids to pay the ferryman, Charon.”  
“But she didn’t have payment. What happen ta’ her?” Bunny queried.  
“I buried her myself, deep in the earth, where she would be hidden. Her spirit is now trapped in the spirit world, but separated from Hades by the river styx. He cannot get her across if she doesn’t have payment, so she is trapped in limbo.”  
“Tha’ sounds awful,” Bunny started but Seraphina cut him off, a gust of wind cutting through the mist and disrupting her slowly drifting hair, “It was her choice!”

“But an eternity in limbo. Don’t cha think tha’ she woulda’ been happier with him?”  
“She had been in love with him, but she was a goddess of the springtime and he reminded her of all that she had lost when she ate those seeds. She needed to escape him and it was the only way.”  
“I’m sure Hades was fine with this?” Bunny would have to get that sarcasm in check. Seraphina was known for being a bit… temperamental.

“If you must know, this is where your friend Jack comes in. Hades was not, in fact, fine with his wife’s disappearance. He blamed the humans for losing their belief in Persephone, allowing her to be weak enough to die. He unleashed the hell hounds onto the world, caused havoc and torment to many of the people in the dark ages. Why do you think your friend Pitch rose to such power? His nightmares and the hell hounds are quite similar in the human consciousness.”  
“Why did he stop the attack?” 

“I offered him myself as payment for Persephone’s absence” Bunny blinked. It wasn’t like Seraphina to do things for the aid or detriment to humans. She mostly just stuck with nature and whoever benefited or got in the way…well, that was that. To make such a selfless offer was… stunning. She continued, undaunted by his steady gaze:

“He declined. I suppose he still hates me. I did aid his wife in her death. Instead he wanted my powers, all of them.”  
Bunny watched her carefully, “I refused him. But I offered him something else: the elementals.”  
“What… all of them?”  
“Four at one time. One for every season. They go to him when their season is dormant. Fall goes in the spring, Winter in the summer and so on. Jack is the current winter spirit that shares Hades’ bed.”  
Bunny’s face heated up in anger, “You mean this has been going on since the dark ages, and you just let it happen?”

“I must. Jack is only one in a long line of elementals that have pleasured Hades, and after he has passed form the human consciousness, loses believers and dies another winter elemental will take his place.”  
“But—“  
“Your protests fall upon deaf ears, rabbit. Remember, without the sacrifice of the elementals the hellhounds and demons would walk among us, mauling the children, disfiguring mothers and blackening the hearts of fathers. Your precious guardians wouldn’t stand a chance against such an evil force.”  
“So every season ya hand him a new sex slave and he promises not ta hurt tha humans.” It wasn’t a question.  
She didn’t answer, her face as hard as crackled bark.  
“I wish it was different, but he requires a companion at all times.”  
“Does he torture them?”  
Her mask didn’t waver. He felt his stomach drop to somewhere around his knees.  
“Seraphina. …Does he torture them?” His voice was softer, but stern.  
“They do not remember it when they return.”

His nostrils flared as he attempted to comprehend what he was hearing. She continued,  
“I take the most… damaging memories. They know of their situation, and they know of his wrath, but they are spared the constant memory of their time in his palace.”  
He sat in still silence, trying to understand just what the newest guardian had been subjected to. Moments later when he blinked and turned to Mother Nature she was gone, fading into the mist like the ethereal beings that would haunt his dreams for many nights to come.  
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Bunny had returned that day, hungover, shaken and utterly confused and explained everything as best he could. Toothiana had left and her fairies reported that she was extremely upset, and that she didn’t want to be seen. Sandy sent her sweet dreams and returned to what was probably his fifth glass of scotch that night. North was considerably drunk as well, although Bunny hadn’t touched any of it.

Jack was still MIA- the door to his room in the workshop shut firmly. North had said that he would come to them when he was ready. It had been nearly twenty four hours since they had all staggered to bed the night previously and all were still feeling weary. North was having the hardest time with the news, as far as Bunny could surmise. The man took Jack in like a son, building him a room in the workshop, giving him special privileges, allowing him to design toys and teaching him a small amount of magic that he had learned in his years as apprentice to Ombric the wizard of Santoff Claussen. To not know that Jack had gone through so much… it seemed almost kinder to have been left alone for 300 years.

“Did she tell you how long Jack has been married?” North asked wearily for the seventh time. Bunny sighed, “She didn’t. She just said that there were four of them at once.”  
“So Jack will be gone for--”  
“Three months, yeah.” Bunny sunk further into his seat. He was driven nearly mad at the thought of sitting around in the sticky summer, imagining the snowflake being tortured by a menacing hooded figure. They had to do something… anything.

“Maybe we can plead with Sera. She will find a new wife for him.” North suggested.  
“I don’t think that’s gonna work, mate. I think it’s for life.”  
North huffed angrily, “Jack has no say. I do not like it”  
Sandy shook his head in agreement. 

“Well we need to do somethin’. He can’t go down there. We need him up here.” Bunny proclaimed, “We’ll find an excuse. Seraphina will have’ta let him stay.”  
The sat in heady silence. Not knowing what they needed to do, but feeling a helpless need to do something. This was their friend and fellow guardian that was on the line.  
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Jack sat between messy sheets in his room. It was rare that he drank, ate or slept but in the last twenty four hours he had done all three. ‘Last huzzah’ he thought miserably, feeling around in the dark until he found his staff. It was tucked into his sheets like a lover, carefully given it’s own spot on one side of his pillow.

He pulled it free and clambered from the cool sheets. His body felt warmer than normal, a sign of the oncoming summer and his own waning powers. Using his staff like a blind man’s cane he bumped his way to the door and slowly pried it open. The light from the hall was blinding, setting his teeth on edge as his pupils dilated instantly. He blinked, adjusting before stumbling into the hallway. His first stop was the bathroom down the hall, where he could always find fresh water and peppermint mouthwash. He was ready for his breath to smell less like alcohol and… was that fish? When had he eaten fish?

Pulling a face he poured a small measure of the minty liquid and swished it between his teeth and gums. The cool feeling of the mouthwash spread over his body, and he felt instantly better. He glanced out the frosted glass window and realized that it was late.  
He pulled himself from the bathroom and down the hall. Noticing voices in the kitchen he floated that way. He had nearly made it to the door when he heard North speak up “Jack has no say---like it” He leaned in, not sure what he was hearing.  
Bunny started in “Well we need to do somethin’. He can’t go down there. We need him up here.” Jack smiled, feeling something like electricity run through his body. So the kangaroo needed him?

“We’ll find an excuse. Seraphina will have’ta let him stay.”  
Jack leaned against the wall wishing that it was true. It was a strange feeling to have two conflicting emotions running through him. He didn’t want to leave the world of laughter and family, but he knew that when he returned he would have the best homecoming waiting for him.  
The Kangaroo would see to that.


	2. Exchange

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I, Hermes, emissary of the gods, call you to duty as consort to the High Lord Hades, Overseer of the Underworld from the Isle of the Blessed to the River Acheron."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please kill me. I've been writing for four and a half hours.  
> That being said... there are probably mistakes.  
> There are probably a lot of mistakes.

Punjam Hy Loo, Asia

Their twittering could be heard even from deep inside of her palace. She had asked them to keep working as normal, but she knew that her mood affected them. They chirped and hummed, gossiping and worrying. Even now, with the lights dimmed and the silken sheets wrapping around her body, she couldn’t relax. The previous night played again an again in her head. Jack…

How had they not known? When she returned back to her palace she had done a bit of math. Jamie was almost sixteen… that would make it almost eight years since Jack had come into their lives. Seven summers that they hadn’t noticed his absence. Seven summers that he had been tortured in silence…  
Toothiana buried her face deep into her embroidered pillows and sobbed.  
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In the coming weeks the guardians worked hard to keep life as normal for Jack as they could. This involved keeping each other from badgering him, providing listening ears and not commenting on how outrageously fidgety he was becoming.  
Bunny didn’t know how much Jack remembered about his time in the Underworld, but the kid was acting like a newly kindled kit, jumpy and over stimulated at all times. He didn’t like it one bit.

To top it all off Seraphina was refusing to show her face. Bunny knew that he was lucky that she had come to him the first time, but now she seemed to have disappeared into the atmosphere, leaving the four guardians with pits in their stomachs and questions on the tips of their tongues.

At the moment Jack seemed to be content. Summer was fast approaching and his duties could be accomplished in the early morning hours. After he had re-dusted the upper and lower hemispheres with ice he would return to the workshop to spend lazy afternoons with whichever guardian was on ‘babysitting’ duty. They never called it that, but Jack wasn’t stupid. 

He knew that they were walking on eggshells around him and he realized that they were determined not to leave him to his own devices for long. It was nice having someone there. Even with the company, most afternoons he would spend in silence. He was, in fact, an unusually quiet spirit when he wasn’t riled up or attempting to entertain anyone.

He enjoyed reading and found that Tooth did as well. She shared her entire collection of romance novels with him, which left him blushing and furiously flipping pages. 

Sandy enjoyed video games and Jack loved the brainlessness of them. He could escape for a while with a controller in his hand. Become someone else for a change.

One day he had come in to find a strange assortment of elves and eggs loitering around the meeting room. Bunny sat close to the fire, the pole still being a bit too cold for the warm-blooded pooka. When he realized that Jack was staring at him his only response was to invite the spirit to paint with him. Jack found the task much more difficult than he expected, sticking to simple designs. His snowflakes were much easier to craft, but Bunny was in an uncharacteristically complimenting mood.

North’s afternoons were full of laughter, and left Jack exhausted. They designed, built and played with toys until their fingers were sore and their eyes heavy. These afternoons were some of Jack’s favorite and as he glanced at the calendar on the wall in the kitchen, he realized that this afternoon would be his last. 

It had sort of snuck up on him. The guardians had kept him busy. Normally by now he would be an antsy mess, shivering, jumpy and with an unending urge to migrate to the exchange site. Well, scratch that- he still had that overwhelming urge, but he wanted to spend his last afternoon with his friends.

The time passed to quickly…  
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Punjam Hy Loo, Asia

That night all of the guardians attended dinner in the banquet hall of Toothiana’s palace. She had prepared a huge feast for all of them, including some of Jack’s new favorite dishes including amok, khow suey and oliang tea fresh from Indonesia. Their talk was light, and Jack wasn’t sure if he was imagining how carefully each one chose their words. He knew that it was a tough subject for them to deal with, he wasn’t really ready to deal with it either and he had known about it for years!  
He attempted to ignore the awkward atmosphere by taking a huge bite of the spicy curry dish and immediately regretted it- as it was extremely hot in both temperature and flavoring. If his mouth was ever going to function again he had better stop.

They moved to one of her smaller studies after dinner, a quiet room with long stained glass windows, comfortable couches and a beautiful array of fountains lining the wall, creating an elaborate connecting maze of trickling water. A crackling fire greeted them from the independent fire place in the center of the room. 

Once they were settled Toothiana patiently tried to explain the game of cờ vây to the other guardians. It was a strategy game that was for two players. Using black or white stones the players would attempt to box each other in on the game board. The player with the most territory when there were no more moves left won. The rules seemed simple enough, but none but Sandy had really ever taken a shine to it. Jack had zero patience for it and had a better idea of how to spend his last night with them.  
When Tooth was in another of her “it’s all about capturing the pieces. Deceit, men deceit!” speeches he slowly moved back from the group. If Tooth noticed she didn’t say anything. The other three guardians were rapt at attention, fearful of interrupting the fairy queen.

Jack skirted the edge of the room, freezing the trickling water fountains into piles of snow, soft as duvets. He had made it to the corner and was almost to the last fountain before Bunny realized that the cold presence of the small guardian was no longer next to him. His ears swiveled before his eyes locked onto Jack’s, pupils contracting as he realized what was about to happen.

The winter sprite was perched upon his staff; hand drawn back behind his head, eyes gleaming and smile wicked. Bunnymund cried out as the snowball left Jack’s hand, empowered with all the force of winter behind it, and smacked him straight in the face. 

All thoughts of a quiet night of strategy were over as Bunny pulled himself to his feet, ears ringing and heart thudding. The winter sprite was swirling around the room, effectively freezing the rest of the fountains that lined the walls, creating enough snow for a good long fight. The guardians picked up instantly on their roles, each diving behind a couch in search of one of the fountains to provide refuge and ammunition.

Snowballs began to rain down from them from above, where Jack whistled and whooped, completely in his element. The other guardians followed suit, each compacting snow and hurling it across the room, laughing and screaming as the icy dust invaded fur, feathers and clothing. 

Mini-fairies dodged here and there, twittering excitedly as their queen dominated on the field. She was quick and her wings were capable of blocking quite a few well-aimed snowballs. Jack, who was currently in an intense battle with Bunny, noticed her improved maneuvering.  
“You’ve been practicing, Toothy?” He called, as one of Bunny’s larger snowballs whizzed past his ears.  
“You know I have!” Her voice was higher than normal, fueled by the rush of adrenaline; “I never want snow in my ears again!”

Her exclamation distracted Jack, who laughed and received a face full of snow from the Pooka to his left. Bunnymund jumped up from his position behind the couch with a victory screech that was cut short with a precisely executed snowball from Sandy. The bunny shouted in horror as the cold ice ran in between the delicate fur on the back of his neck. The other guardians laughed at his mad attempts to shake the cold invading his shoulders.

Tooth took the opportunity to grab another snowball, this time aiming for North, who saw her attack and countered it, lunging behind one of the couches and flinging snow as he did. Jack once again perched on the curve of his staff, allowing him access to Sandy who was distracted by Tooth’s second attack. Bunny was recovering and forming more ammunition at one of the fountains. A snowball sailed past Jack’s head and he turned to yell “missed!” just as another found it’s target correctly.

“Ha! That’s two times, Frostbite!” Bunny said dodging another attack from Sandy. The guardians were all red faced and panting at this point, cheerful grins plastered on each face. 

The crux of the fight happened when North decided to make a run for the last fountain full of snow. All four other guardians targeted him with a barrage of snowballs that was fit to destroy an armada. He grunted in surprise as he fell, snow and ice cascading around him. He held up his hands in surrender.  
“Mily Balakirev! I am done!”

The other guardians agreed as they fell into soaking heaps on the couches, cushions strewn and covered in white. North went to stoke the fire, instantly filling the room with warmer air. The mini-fairies reappeared; Jack hadn’t even noticed that they had retreated when the fight had gotten too intense, bearing steaming mugs of hot chocolate and coffee. 

Normally Jack would take his cocoa with a lot of ice, but he could visibly see his friends shivering and decided to stick with the warm. If his body temperature rose, the ice in the room would melt faster. He sipped the liquid carefully, steam billowing from it as his cold lips found purchase on the edge of the mug.

Soon the room was comfortable again, the guardians warming from the inside out and the fairies singing quietly into the silence. For the first time in a couple of weeks Jack felt immensely content. 

He put his feet up on the cờ vây table and sunk back into the soft cushions behind him. The other guardians were sitting peacefully, as well, their breathing quieting as the fire crackled and the fairies danced through the air.

Tooth’s soft voice could be heard from where she had bundled herself in a large blanket, the tips of her crown of feathers sticking out of the silken folds.  
“Bunny? Tell us of the golden age?” 

Jack’s ears perked up. Bunnymund, for all of his useless taunting, had a surprisingly silver tongue when it came to story telling.

Jack knew that Bunny had lost every one at the end of the golden age, but the rabbit could talk freely of the happy times before… a trait that Jack found admirable.

The pooka thought for a while before beginning. Jack snuggled down further into the cushions, North’s frame to his left and the arm of the chair to the left created a fortress and Jack felt completely at home. The rabbit’s husky voice rang through the darkening hall. The last rays of sunlight filtered in through the brightly stained glass windows, casting multicolored flecks onto Bunny’s fur as he began:

“There was so much light. Tha galaxies shone brighter then…tha stars were happier, I s’pposed. And tha whole universe was connected through tha sea uh stars. There were entire fleets uh ships made for traversing tha galaxies; Each one so bright that it would reflect tha light uh tha nearest star. When they journeyed out it was like… it was like watching tha world take flight; their magnificence knew no bounds.”

Jack felt a warm buzzing take over, and knew that sleep was imminent. His eyelids felt entirely too heavy to still be open and with a sigh of relief he closed them.

“It was ah time uh peace and enchantment. Tha galaxies were ruled by tha most pleasant uh families, kind and just. Balance was kept. There were songs upon the lips of many and laughter could be heard wherever ya were.”

Jack felt like he was floating. In his mind dazzling light ships, their sails spread for adventure, floated through a sea of shimmering stars. 

“Tha ships were so vast that some say they could have held entire worlds upon ‘em. Their might was matched by no other, and they traversed through tha twisting branches uh tha universe like it had been made only for ‘em.”

Bunny’s voice was filtered through what seemed to be a dull roar, the calling of world’s unknown.

Without quite realizing that he had left his friends behind, Jack let himself go- and the golden age welcomed him with the tinkling of starsong.  
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It was as if his body knew before he did. The pooka shifted in his sleep, muscles tensing before him mind freed him from the dream that kept him enraptured. He pulled groggy eyelids open and found the room around him dark. The light from the sun had long since filtered from the windows, and the fire in was down to crackling embers.  
He wondered what had woken him. He sat up, partially dislodging Tooth- who had flopped against his shoulder sometime in the night. Sandy was nowhere to be seen, but that was normal- the little guy had duties.

He glanced over to the couch where North slept soundly, head bent back and snoring. There was a pile of blankets next to North, which Bunny assumed to be Jack. He wondered if the kid was too hot and decided to go uncover him. As he untangled himself from the fairy his brain caught up with him, and with a jolt he realized that it must be close to midnight. ‘Oh gods’ he thought wildly, ‘What if we missed the exchange?’ 

He quickly pulled himself from couch, berating himself for falling asleep and possibly getting Jack in trouble. He didn’t know what the consequences would be if an elemental hadn’t shown up to be taken to the Underworld, but from what Seraphina had said, Hades wasn’t really the forgiving type. 

When he stood he felt a familiar prickling on the back of his neck, someone was standing behind him.  
He whirled, boomerangs out to realize that the winter sprite was, in fact, not asleep but instead staring out of one of the windows.

“Jack” Bunny hissed, and crept around the couch. The boy stood as still as a stone, staff held lightly in one hand, and head tilted upward to the soft glow of the moon.  
He called his name once more as he reached the boy, to which he received no reply. He glanced at the ornamental clock that was on the wall, 11:26.

Bunny turned back to Jack once again, only to find him walking away, towards the door. He followed hissing the boy’s name.  
They had made it halfway down the hall before Bunny caught up with him, grabbing one shoulder and spinning him. He was about to reprimand the boy for ignoring him when he noticed something strange about his eyes. He didn’t seem to be focusing on the rabbit’s face, although it was mere inches from his.

“Jack?” Bunny asked, heartbeat picking up. Was this normal?  
The boy’s response was to turn from his grasp and continue to serenely walk down the hallway. Bunny followed, uneasy.

When they reached the soft grass outside, Bunny grabbed Jack once more- shaking him gently and calling his name. The boy seemed completely out of it, almost as if he was sleepwalking. At a loss for what to do Bunny felt his paws slip from the boys shoulders. He had wanted to say goodbye, but the sprite seemed past the point of awareness.

There was nothing much else he could do but follow the boy as he walked steadily into the darkening night.  
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Necromanteion Temple, Greece

They had not walked far. The quiet woods surrounding Tooth’s palace seemed to melt away to a completely different landscape. Bunny head spun as he realized he had walked into another part of the world in about 15 seconds. The magic was palpable in the air, his body feeling heavier after being subjugated to such immense power. Jack continued forward as if nothing had happened. The moon shone brighter here than it had in the woods, and the slender spirits’ bright hair reflected it’s guiding beams.

Up ahead Bunny could just make out the crumbling ruins of stone, once a great monument he suspected. As they drew closer the magic grew stronger. He found it a bit difficult to breathe.

The reached the edge of the ruins and the air seemed to shimmer as Jack walked through some sort of force field. Bunny took a deep breath and stumbled through after him, releasing as gasp as he reached the other side. The ruins, which had seemed drab and left to crumble for centuries were no more.

In their place a large stone temple stood in all of it’s glory, torches filled with green and blue fire lined the columns, casting deep discolored shadows. The walls were covered in tiled mosaics, depicting creatures that Bunny had never seen before, beautiful and sinister.The pinnacle of the temple was an alter, it’s intricately carved base showing the story of Hades and his beloved, Persephone. 

The entire temple hummed with magic so old and powerful that Bunny felt it creeping into the marrow in his bones.  
He hadn’t felt this weak since the final battle at Punjam Hy Loo against Pitch when he had realized his entire species was gone. It shook him, his entire body screaming for him to grab Jack and running. 

The winter sprite seemed entirely content to stand in the presence of such dark magic, eyes unfocused and staff dragging. He attempted once more to get the boy’s attention, but received not even a blink of recognition from the blank expression.

“He won’t answer you.” The quiet voice came from behind a pillar. Bunny spun, snarling, “Seraphina!”  
She stepped from the shadows, her hair and clothing blowing airily through the warm breeze of the summer night.  
“What have you done to him?” He barked.  
She crossed her arms defensively, “I’ve eased his journey. His nerves are calm and his mind is on pleasant things.”  
Bunny’s mouth twisted into a sarcastic smile, “Yeah, keep tha lamb calm ‘fore tha slaughter.”

“You would want the same if it were you.” She said, coldly.  
“Nah… if it were me, Ah wouldn’t want to be forced inta slavery because someone else made mistakes.” His words were meant to cut and he could see the twitch of pain flash across her face. His lip curled upward, victorious.

“You do not know of what you speak, Rabbit.” Her mask was back in place, “Say your goodbye’s and leave.”  
Bunny seethed with rage he didn’t know he had been holding back the last few weeks. He surged forward until he and the nature spirit were face to face.  
“I will not say goodbye. Not today and not ever.”

“What will you do? He must leave.” He eyes were as cold as her sharp words.  
“Release him from the marriage.” Bunny snarled, hands clenching at his sides.  
“That is… impossible.” Seraphina stated, “He knows how important this is.”

“It was your mistake, Seraphina. And ya are allowing others to carry your cross.”  
Her eyes flashed and she seemed to grow in size. Her hair, which had previously flowed gently, took to whipping around her frame.  
“Do you not think I know this?” Her voice was full of thunder and crashing waves, “You of all creatures should understand that one cannot save all.”

He jolted, her words biting. He snarled, stalking from her.  
“Ya must go with him, Seraphina. Talk to Hades. Free him.”  
“I cannot”  
“Yes, ya can! He’s an innocent. He’s done nothin’ ta deserve this!”  
“Aster.” Her voice was grave.  
“Do you think he likes this? Do you think he’s okay?”  
She was silent.  
“Well, I for one can tell ya that he’s miserable! He tries to hide it, but I can tell that it eats at him.”

“Then how did it take you this long to notice?” 

She had him there. His voice gave out as guilt and anguish overtook him. He shook, feeling helpless and awful. In truth, it wasn’t just Seraphina that he was blaming, it was himself as well.

How had it taken them so long to ask? How had they just assumed that their youngest companion was simply busy?

A howling, that cut deeper than any of Mother Nature’s words, interrupted his thoughts. It rattled him down to his cells, his fur standing on end and pupils contracting in horror. The jarring howl continued, long and low, until it broke and the altar split down the center. The echoes of the cry could be heard issuing from the open maw of the Underworld, ringing out into the mortal world.  
Seraphina was at his side, clinging to one of his arms. He attempted to pull away, but her grip was one of iron. 

Fog billowed forth from the crevice as two hulking figures pulled themselves from the depths. Each one carried a lantern on a hook, the intricate ironwork giving the appearance of hands clawing up and down the shafts.

The figures themselves turned to the three standing before the altar, green fire casting twisted shadows across their marred features. The one on the left stood tall, with the body of a man and the head of a grotesque hawk. Its beak was jagged and cracked its feathers ruffled. The figure to the right swayed slightly, the weight of it’s hulking bull’s head creating unbalance. 

They slammed the bases of their hooked staffs upon the ground once, twice, three times and from the opening came the rest of the processional. Three more figures came up what Bunny realized were stairs leading to and from the worlds. In front-- a man, hump backed and extremely skinny, carrying a hammer and wearing nothing but a tattered skirt.

The next was a man, body lithe and exquisite. He wore a tunic of spun silver, and his golden hair was helmed in bronze. His entire body seemed to glow and his feet were adorned with the most particular sandals bunny had ever seen. It seems that he had found a way to attach white wings to the ankles, allowing him to float a few inches from the ground as effortlessly as Toothiana.

The third figure stumbled from the opening and Bunny almost cried out. He seemed to be of Native American decent, but for the strangest reason his skin was as dark at Pitch’s. His hair was intricately braided with strands of gold, and from the sides of his skull thick horns twisted upward like a ram.  
His eyes sunk into his skull, under dark brows and he shook visibly. He wore a long deep scarlet cloak that revealed very little about the rest of his body, although Bunny felt that if it could be seen, it wouldn’t be in a very good state. He huddled next to the other figures, body jerking as he struggled to stay conscious. 

The glowing figure took a key from around his neck and stood before the boy.  
“Onacona, spirit of autumn, you have served your master well these past three moons. I, Hermes, emissary of the gods, relieve you of your duty as consort to the High Lord Hades, Overseer of the Underworld from the river of Acheron to the Isle of the Blessed. You are to remain a loyal servant to Hades and return in nine moons from this day to be reunited with him.”

As he spoke he inserted the key into a small lock on a brooch that seemed to keep the boy’s cloak in place. As the key found it’s home and turned the boy fell to his knees, cloak severed from his shoulders. 

Even before he had hit the ground his physiology was changing. His natural skin color blossomed from the deep gray, painting him a dusky brown of the Cherokee. The horns upon his head shimmered and the golden jewelry disappeared along with them. The cloak itself seemed to be folding in on itself, becoming a thin black collar, which floated into Hermes’ outstretched hand.

He left the boy where he was, broken and panting. Hermes turned before the altar and spoke, voice echoing clearly in the quiet temple. 

“Jack Frost, spirit of winter, you have been called to the service of your master.”  
Jack seemed to come alive from where he had stood silently through all of the proceedings. He stepped forward jerkily and knelt before Hermes.

“I, Hermes, emissary of the gods, call you to duty as consort to the High Lord Hades, Overseer of the Underworld from the Isle of the Blessed to the River Acheron. You are to remain in his service for three moons, and are henceforth marked as his.” 

As he finished his speech he wrapped the collar around Jack’s exposed throat, putting the key once more in the lock and securing it in place. As the lock clicked home Jack’s soft cry rang through the stone pillars. His skin changed almost instantly, it’s soft pale color bruising darker until it was a light grey.  
Black horns pushed forth from the upper side of his skull, pushing backwards and twisting upward. As the cloak burst forth from the collar, this time a deep blue, gossamer gold strands wove their way through his hair.

It was over before Bunny had time to process what had happened. Jack stood, the edges of the midnight cloak brushing the smooth stone floor. Hermes looked pleased and motioned for Jack to follow him. The processional walked towards the tunnel when Bunny’s voice returned to him.

“Wait!” He called and felt Seraphina squeeze his arm threateningly, “JACK!”  
The boy’s body stayed still, but he saw his head cock in recognition.  
“Jack! You don’t have to do this!” The soldiers carrying the lamps snarled, stepping towards him.  
“No!” Seraphina stood between them, “He meant no harm.”  
“They can’t have him!” Bunny was desperate, “Seraphina do something!”  
“He must go with them.” She held him tightly as the group moved towards the tunnel in the floor, “He must”. 

First one of the guards with a lamp, then Hermes, the old hunched man and finally Jack who was closely guarded by the hawk made their way into the jaws of stone.

Jack stepped down into the darkness as Bunny called his name over and over again. Seraphina held her ground, tugging on his fur and keeping up a steady mantra that Bunny couldn’t understand over the rushing of blood in his ears. 

Just as the smallest guardian was about to disappear into the darkness below he looked back, his eyes- now black like the demons that guarded him- full of fear and sorrow. It was at this moment that the last tribute, the Cherokee boy, lurched forward and vomited blood all over the gleaming stone.

Aster’s vision splintered.

Pooka’s are ancient, their powers immense and their legends great, and Seraphina, with all of her force, felt useless against the raging shape shifter in her grasp. He bucked and kicked, screeching at the top of his lungs. 

With a mighty heave he flung her from his grasp and leapt forward. The howling picked up again as Bunny vaulted over the shaking spirit of fall. His paws pounded against the ground. He could see the gaping gullet closing as the final form descended into the darkness. With a burst of speed he cried out in desperation, and unthinkingly threw himself into the collapsing opening as it snapped shut. 

Seraphina screamed curses into the ringing silence.  
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**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please comment. I know that it sounds vain, but seriously you guys. I just wrote 4,673 words. It would be great to just get a couple of sentences on what you liked/didn't like/want to happen/don't understand/etc. Or you can tell me it's crap. That's okay too. But please, use grammar. We're all civilized here...


	3. Majesty

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "His eyes, so far downcast, found the golden-sandaled toes resting at the base of the elaborately carved throne. He slowly pulled them upwards, taking in the deep purple robe, the largely muscled arms decorated with silver and gold bangles, the broad shoulders covered in unruly black locks and finally the glinting eyes of his husband, as dark as an amethyst and just as cold."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay kiddies the time for deleting browsing history and reading this behind locked doors is here. Explicit content ahoy!

The steam was a welcome refuge from the eyes, though it’s putrid smell and sticky heat made Jack feel a bit sick to his stomach. His nerves had already twisted it into a hard ball, although they seem to have softened his knees.

He didn’t really even understand why he was feeling this way. In the past Hades had always treated him kindly. Yes, he was forced into a marriage that he didn’t particularly want and he wasn’t allowed to use his powers or do anything that he normally would in the mortal world, but it wasn’t ever an awful experience. In fact, all of the details seemed a bit fuzzy and never really felt like three months after he returned. Honestly thinking about it at all gave him a headache. Seraphina said that it was normal to not remember everything: Something about magic and whatnot.

He was having a bit of a rough time getting into the present.  
The long flight of stairs, the creaky boat ride across the river, even the golden carriage to the palace all seemed like some sort of dream. He remembered it not feeling real the year before. But sooner or later reality was bound to sink in… probably around the time that the idiots in the bathhouse attempted to wash his nether regions. That always seemed to put things in perspective. 

He pulled the dark cloak around himself defensively, not particularly fond of the bathing ritual. But like it or not, he had to be properly ‘cleaned’ before allowed into the court. Something about the stink of the mortal world seemed to put the higher ups on edge.

He was guarded by a new set of soldiers, these looking fairly similar to him- with just basic animalistic parts (horns or ears or tails) instead of grotesque frankenstien-esk body mashing of el toro and his friend, hawk-eye. They escorted him down the curving hallways of the underbelly of the palace. Jack could hear laughter and music playing above them, wafting down into the steam below the palace. Hades must have been throwing a pre-court party, which was uncommon, but not unheard of. Jack wondered if there was a special occasion or if his husband was just in an uncharacteristically hosting mood. 

His thoughts were cut short as they reach the source of the steam, an elaborately carved room filled with a huge pool full of green herbal bath. Smaller circular baths were carved into the grounds and could be filled with a variety of herbal, medicinal and cleansing liquids. Jack was greeted by the woman who ran the baths whom he immediately felt a strange kinship with; although, for the life of him he couldn’t remember her name. It was a little strange- he had many memories of coming to the baths for hours to spend time drinking and talking with her, but her name was another one of those fuzzy clouds in his head.

She was older, probably old enough to be his grandmother if either of them were alive. She stood proud, but weathered from centuries in the bathhouse. Her dark hair sported graying streaks and her hands were calloused and wrinkled, but her eyes were as kind as always. She pulled him into a hug muttering “dulcis puer meus, dulcis puer meus” and Jack returned it warmly.

“You been good? Why you so skinny?” She pulled the cloak back, tisking at the sight of his ribs (which were no different than the year previous, as his physical body aged about 100 times slower than normal).

“It’s good to see you too.” He said, speaking for the first time since the transformation. His voice sounded different, a bit lower than normal… just as Hades liked it.  
“You been eating enough?” She snapped her fingers and the cloak began to wind itself back up into the collar. He nodded.  
“You lying to me, Jack. I know you. All sweets and no sustenance.” He laughed as she led him to the changing room.

“I’ll have you know that I ate curry last night.” She turned back to him, eyebrows raised.  
“You want to burn hole in your body, winter spirit?” She pushed a towel into his hand, “Try the coal. I hear it be very good this season. Pants off.”  
He obeyed. The silk pants that were customary with the transformation were removed and he felt a strange flush of embarrassment. This woman had seen him naked before… why the sudden shyness.

She tisked again, “ Come on, little chicken legs, your king very impatient for your arrival. Throws party you know.”  
His initial annoyance at her first comment melted into surprise, “For me?”

“Yes for you! Pullus, you act like you surprise?”  
“Well we haven’t had parties very often is all…”  
She turned to him; eyeing him oddly, “He is changed” was her reply “He must”. She clapped her hands twice and her two monkeys rushed forward, holding trays of soaps and sponges and perfume. They weren’t technically monkeys, one looked to be some sort of panda bear creature and the other short and mouse like, but Jack had learned long ago that they weren’t the brightest bulbs in Edison’s collection.

“Work quickly and quietly. No tittering about. And this time do not make smell of cinnamon. It not suit him.” She smiled and patted his cheek.

“Pomponia” she said gently. He shook his head in confusion and she smiled, “My name, mea dulcis pullum, is Pomponia.”  
“How did you—“ he began but she held up a hand.  
“You forget every year.” She laughed, “I know by now”. 

Jack stared as she walked away, back into the lounge area. The monkeys escorted him over to the steps of the green bath. Panda-spots took his towel while mouse-ears rearranged all of the soaps by the side of the pool. They then joined him in the warm water.  
For what it was worth, they did listen to their mistress—hardly daring to speak as they washed his grey skin. He enjoyed the silence as it allowed him more time the think. The water soothed his aching stomach and their hands, although connected to idiots, were actually quite talented at removing knots from shoulders.

After they had scrubbed his skin they waded over to the far edge, where a small waterfall allowed better rinsing. There was a bedlike chair, suspended just under the water, so that he could lay with his head tilted back while they worked on his hair. This part always took the longest. He had no patience for hair, so he rarely brushed it. And in the Underworld, with his staff safely in the hands of the guards and the hot water melting him, it was a tangled-humid-scruff-muffin mess.

On top of that the skin right next to his horns was extremely delicate. Something about bones growing out of it suddenly seemed to irritate it for some reason. It swelling and pain would go away in a few days, but now it felt as if someone had taken a hot plate to his skull.

To their credit, they were both extremely gentle this year. Jack was almost at the point of closing his eyes and relaxing when the mousy one moved down and pushed his knees apart.  
That already?  
He made a sound of surprise and sat up, splashing panda-spot a bit in the process.  
“We must clean you here” the mousy one said, “His majesty requires it.”

“At least buy me a drink first.” He answered, more sarcastic than he should have with these two. They instantly scrambled away to find him one, but he called them back, assuring them that he didn’t actually want anything. He allowed them to spread his legs again and attempted not to die in embarrassment at the sponges were used to clean every crevice of everything.

Jack felt very uncomfortable, as he always did as they inspected his new ‘equipment’. As a demon/human hybrid, ergo the collar, Jack changed in different ways than just horns. Demons, Hellhounds, Creatures of dark magic—whatever you really wanted to call them—were apparently neither male nor female. The first time Jack had transformed he remembered crying in horror at the strange sensation of his pelvic zone did some remodeling. But after years of it he was a bit used to the feeling, though it didn’t stop the embarrassment.

Basically his balls were gone. He still had his penis, thank any god anywhere that had made that executive decision, but his balls were literally gone. He didn’t ask where they had gone; he didn’t really want to know. Truthfully he figured that they must have just moved to a different location, because he did, in fact, still produce something in the bedroom.

In their place was something that Jack had never actually seen before. He hadn’t exactly been a stud in the mortal world. Most spirits he had met weren’t interested in fucking an eternal teenager with loneliness issues. So, it had come to a complete surprise to him when he realized how incredibly complex the female genitalia was. There were so many different parts, and they sometimes wanted to work and they sometimes didn’t.

Also (thanks to the executive-decision-making-god) he didn’t seem to have any of the other womanly… problems. His chest stayed as scrawny as before and this ‘red death’ he had heard Toothiana talk about, didn’t happen to him once a month.  
He really kind of had the best deal ever. That, of course, didn’t make him feel any less awkward as the two bath lackeys peered down at his freshly formed junk.

Luckily it was over fairly quickly. They helped him down from the chair and helped him dry off. Another pair of pants was offered and he slipped them on. They spent time rubbing sweet smelling lotions into his skin, spritzing him with perfume and rubbing some kind of hair product into his damp locks. 

After he was completely clean and smelling like he had rolled in the Elysian Fields he was presented back to Pomponia, who offered him something cold and sweet. He drank it, it’s fruity taste calming his hot stomach, and dulling his buzzing nerves. He sat with her for a while, chatting about what the guardians had been up to all year, before the guards said that they were needed upstairs. She clapped her hands again and the servants ran forward with his formal clothing. Large flowing pants that became tighter around the ankles, adorned with ringlets of gold that carried down to wrap around his toes.

He was given a loose sash made of the softest material Jack had ever felt. It was such a deep blue that it was almost black, and Pomponia wrapped it around his neck so it hung loose letting the ends fall diagonally down his front and back. She secured the sash with a wide, tight fitting belt, which hit him right at the navel.

There were sleeves too- made of the same lighter material of his pants. That could attach to the sash around his neck. Covering the entire ensemble was delicate embroidery of curling frost and swirling wind. Jack admired the neat handiwork, touching the patterns with the tips of his fingers.

“You like?” Pomponia asked and he nodded reverently. She smiled, but said nothing else. Jack had a sneaking suspicion that the detailed hand stitching had been her doing, although she was humble enough to keep it to herself.  
“Thank you” he said and she waved him off, blushing slightly.  
“Bah! You look good. Go.” Slapping him on the butt as he left.  
-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_

The stairs were dark. Bunny felt his way along the twisting stony path, holding on to the moist cavern walls for support and guidance. His nose was no help; it had long ago gone tingly and numb from the disgusting smell rising from the deep. He longed for some clean air, for a sweet breeze to ruffle his sweaty fur and sooth his watering eyes. How could Jack stand it down here for three months?

He strained his eyes, searching further down into the tunnel for some sign of life. He had assumed that when he jumped into the tunnel after the guard that he would end up at the tail end of the processional. Unfortunately this wasn’t the case. After he had tumbled down a few dozen steps and shakily found his feet he realized that he was utterly alone. There was nothing above him but solid rock and the tight cave like tunnel seemed to go on for days. 

He slowly made his way down the steps, his large feet not helping on the thin stone surfaces. His ears were working in overtime to help with the lack of sight and smell. They twitched and swiveled at every drop of water, every skittering claw. He half expected to be jumped, but so far he seemed to be the only soul around.

He followed the winding stairs down further into the belly of the beast, feeling uneasier the further he went. What if this was some enchantment that would keep him walking until he fell from exhaustion and was left there to rot? What if the stairs led to different places or changed suddenly? What if Jack and the guards had gone down a secret passageway?

Bunny attempted to shake his worries, as there was nothing he could do about them but keep walking. He increased his pace, trying not to slip on the uneven steps. The pads of his paws were becoming scratched and raw. His whole body ached from his tumble and he wished for the solace of a single light.  
-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_

The noise of the party had quieted down as Jack waited in the hallway to be announced. The cloak had unfurled from the collar as they reached the throne room. His hood was drawn up over his head, magically altering itself to accommodate the horns. 

His heart beat wildly in his chest, begging to be set free and fly away. He wished he could join it. Just run and not look back. But he was here and here he had to stay.  
The guards entered before him announcing his presence to all those who had been invited that day. He took a shaky breath and walked forward, trying to form an expression that hid the panic underneath.

 _‘This is for the children.’_  
The thick golden doors were opening in front of him.

 _‘This is for North.’_  
His feet were quiet on the smooth stone floor. His cloak rustled as he stepped into the room.

 _‘This is for Sandy.’_  
The guests had gone silent at his arrival, parting his way to the large black throne at the forefront of the room. Jack glided towards it, attempting to not blush as dozens of eyes took him in. 

_‘This is for Tooth’_  
The shadows danced across the room as the flames flickered on the wicks. The entire room smelled of pungent wine.

 _‘This is for Jamie’_  
He didn’t make eye contact. Not yet. His stomach was rolling again and he refused to be sick in front of all of these people. 

_‘This is for Bunny’_  
His eyes, so far downcast, found the golden-sandaled toes resting at the base of the elaborately carved throne. He slowly pulled them upwards, taking in the deep purple robe, the largely muscled arms decorated with silver and gold bangles, the broad shoulders covered in unruly black locks and finally the glinting eyes of his husband, as dark as an amethyst and just as cold.

Hades’ smile stretched slowly off of angled features. His eyes crinkled at the edges, taking in his newest bride. Jack kneeled before him and the court followed. When he looked up again Hades was now standing right before him, his hand outstretched.

Jack took it and was pulled to his feet. The rest of the noise, the rest of the sound, the rest of everything faded away as Hades, the Lord of the Underworld, leaned in. Jack caught his breath, feeling drawn into those immensely deep eyes, purple and endless. He felt like he had been gone for years and never left at the same moment. 

“I’ve missed you.” Hades said, his voice deep and rumbling. Jack shivered and attempted to smile back.  
“As have I.” He said, not sure if he hadn’t now that he was staring into the eyes of his husband.  
It felt almost natural to be lead back to the thrones. The black rock growing from the ground separated into two seats, although the one on the right was much larger. Jack took his spot as the party resumed, the guests returning to their drink and gossip.

Hades was still staring at his face, and Jack felt himself heat up.  
“You seem a bit flustered, if you don’t mind me saying. Would you like to get out of here? I know crowds can be a bit daunting for you.” His voice was gentle and low and he leaned in as to not allow his words to be public. Jack stammered out a reply.

“N-No. I’m fine. Thank you.” Leaving would mean being alone with him. Jack’s brain was in overdrive trying to figure out why he felt so uncomfortable when all he could remember of the man were pleasant things. Things like picnics in the garden and the way that Hades would run his hands through his hair after a long day in court. Or when he would kiss him softly behind a pillar, or pull him away from the ladies that he was forced to socialize with for somewhat voyeuristic sex in an alcove. The last memory flooded into Jack’s mind unbidden, and he immediately flushed. 

Hades was still looking at him, an amused smile quirking at his lips.  
“Well, if you would like to stay- could I offer you a drink?” He snapped his fingers and the servant to his left stepped forward, offering a goblet of wine as red as blood. Jack took it and sipped the sweet, oaky liquid as he surveyed the guests. Many of them were spirits of the Underworld; he recognized many of Hades’ own family in the group. He was a bit surprised to see that Hermes had joined the party as well. 

Normally the god would do his duty of escorting the elemental and leave the underworld unless summoned. There was a string quartet to Jack’s right, and they played uncharacteristically cheery music for such a dank place. The partygoers seemed to be enjoying themselves. Wine flowed endlessly and a few spun lazily around the dance floor, casting dazzling shadows that spiraled from their twisting forms. 

“I trust your journey went well” Hades voice brought him back to attention.  
“Yes, it was fine.” Jack said. He sipped the wine again, “I saw Cerberus on my way in.” The dog was normally guarding the judgment lines closer to the fields of Asphodel, and Jack (who was taken by carriage around the fields) only saw him on rare occasion.

“Yes. We’ve been having him patrol the river more frequently. Apparently the water is rising and the dead are attempting to cross without payment.”  
“Can they do that?” Jack asked, surprised.  
Hades relaxed back into his chair, “None have succeeded. The river of pain melts their spirits too quickly. He is there only as a precaution. Well, that and to keep him occupied. He’s been acting up recently.”

Jack nodded and sipped his wine again. The liquid swam to the back of his throat and he swallowed nervously. Why was he so anxious? He was acting like a virgin on her wedding night. And he definitely wasn’t one. 

The longer he was in the Underworld the more the memories seemed to flow. He was remembering all of the sweet gestures, the surprises, the kisses. He was starting to feel a bit silly for ever doubting that Hades would be some sort of captor. In the mortal world three months seemed like such a long eternity to spend at the side of his husband, but now that he was here he didn’t think it would be that bad.

He sipped again and his eyelids slid shut as the images danced behind them.

_Hades pulled him into an empty room, his laugh muffled by the strong hand covering his mouth. The younger spirit pulled his face away, grinning “You pervert!”  
Hades replaced the hand with soft lips, pulling the boy closer to him as he ground his hips down. He broke apart with a gasp, “It’s not perverted it’s true. No one turns me on like you do.”_

_“Rhyming? What a charmer…” Jack’s retort was cut short as Hades palmed him through the loose fabric._  
“Apparently so.” Hades chuckled, admiring how hard his young companion already was, “It also helps to have a partner who is insatiable.”  
Their lips met again, pushing and crushing and passionate. Jack gasped as Hades took his bottom lip between his teeth and pulled, using his distraction to push the tunic up the younger man’s body. 

_“Oh, so romantic.” He said, sarcastically, as Hades trailed kisses down his neckline. The man licked one of his nipples through the silky fabric, eliciting a groan and effectively stopping his complaining.  
“I didn’t see you complaining about romance last night, winter spirit.” His quick tongue began to work on the exposed belly button, lapping inside and circling it as the boy’s stomach muscles jumped. He continued his journey down, licking and kissing closer and closer to the boy’s straining erection._

_Jack nearly cried out as the god rerouted his path to press his lips firmly to the inside of his thigh.  
“Stop teasing…” he moaned. _

_Hades huffed out a breath, warm against Jack’s cold skin. “You take all the fun out of torturing you.”  
All Jack could do was moan as the kissing continued, but was happier that they were at least heading north. The man’s breath his the base of his erection seconds before his tongue found it’s target and Jack arched into the feeling of the wet appendage sliding towards the tip._

_The god smirked at his companion’s pleasure, and with the tip of his tongue massaged just under the leaking head. Jack’s voice broke as he moaned in ecstasy, pulling on the king’s unruly locks, pulling him closer.  
His lover laughed and opened his mouth sensually to take in the head—_

“Jack?”  
The spirits eyes snapped open to find Hades’ about four inches from his own. The god had a hand on the younger’s cheek and his brows were collected in a frown of worry.  
“Are you alright?” he asked as Jack pulled away, flustered and blushing madly. Where had that come from!? With a bit of horror he realized that the memory that had given him so much pleasure in the past, had also taken toll on his body in the present. He attempted to hide the straining erection from his husband, but was almost positive that he had already been seen.

Hades was still glaring at him in concern. He realized that he hadn’t answered yet.  
“Uh… yes. I think I’m just tired is all. Is there somewhere I can wash my face?”  
Hades looked unsatisfied with this answer, but pointed him in the direction of the nearest washroom. Jack set the drink down on the servant’s tray and nearly dashed out into the unfamiliar hallway.

-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_

The further Aster went the colder it got, which he found strange. He had always imagined hell or the underworld to be somewhat volcanic in nature, yet here he was- shivering and wishing for a large cup of cocoa.

The stairs had evened out into a long narrow tunnel. He could see light at the very end of it, which was maybe what people talked about when they had a near death experience. In every tale he had heard not to go towards the light, but there was honestly nowhere else to go.

He reached the edge of the tunnel and flattened himself to the wall, ears swiveling for any sound. The quiet lap of water on rock was the only hint of life on the other side and he quietly peered out into the light. Other than a few torches illuminating a dock there really wasn’t much else to look at. He crept from his hiding place, boomerangs out and muscles ready to attack. His ears worked on overtime, twitching at the slightest gust of wind or tremble of rock. He wasn’t sure whether to venture further into the dark or stay near the dock.

His decision was made for him. A distant roar sent shivers up and down his spine, and the increasingly loud pounding of heavy feet drove him to run into the darkness. Luckily with a little bit of light his night vision was better than it had been in the complete darkness. He didn’t have to keep a hand on the wall as he bounded over boulders and crumbling shoreline. The ledge that he was running on was growing steadily narrower and he didn’t know how much longer he would be able to stay on land. The river smelled like the underside of a corpses’ ball sack and he wasn’t about to go jumping into it if he could help it.

The pursuers didn’t seem to be too daunted by the narrowing strip of track, the pounding footsteps increased and the roaring continued. He could hear the flap of wings coming towards him from above and didn’t want to meet whatever was attached to them. He stopped, panting and attempted to scrabble up the sheer rock face. He made it a few feet before something huge and furry slammed into him, the hawk like screech ringing in his ears as he fell.

He landed on the rocky shoreline that was quickly crumbling under his weight. One foot slipped into the lapping water and he shrieked as pain instantly flooded his every sense, blinding out everything else. He scrambled from the water’s edge as the hawk-creature attacked again, slashing at his back with sharp claws. The footsteps were nearing. His boomerangs had been lost in the fall. The pain in his leg was crippling and he was completely disoriented in the darkness.

The last thing Bunny remembered before the pounding in his ears overtook his entire being was a dark gravely voice chortling,  
“ohhh, this is going to be fun.”  
-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_

North was startled from his sleep by a crash. One of the intricately designed stained glass windows now lay shattered on the embroidered carpet. The other guardians were up instantly, their instincts as protectors kicking into high gear as they were pulled from sleep. 

In place of the window, the morning light creating a blinding halo, was a figure that conveyed nothing but wrath. She flowed into the room like a flash flood, her eyes flashing like lightening and her hair whipping around her hair as if pulled by a thousand hurricanes.

Sandy and Tooth exclaimed as she snarled at them, words lost in her rage. The guardians stepped towards each other, and North realized that two of them were missing.  
“Where’s Bunny?” Tooth asked. Sandy shook his head. 

“You want to know where that stupid… that filthy…” Seraphina’s anger reached a peak again and another window exploded, this one on the far side of the room. Tooth squeaked in fear as Seraphina towered over them.  
“He’s ruined everything!” She shrieked, tears making their way down her face, “Everything was perfect. Everything was in balance. Everything was as it SHOULD BE and the stupid rabbit had to go and ruin everything.”

North was the first to speak, “I’m sure that Bunny can explain himself—“  
“No, he can’t explain himself, you bumbling oaf. He’ll probably never see daylight again- much less grace us with his idiotic presence.”  
“Wait…” Toothiana said nervously as Sandy began creating images rapidly, “What do you mean he’ll never—“  
“When I said that he ruined everything, your highness, I meant everything. Not just my plans, not just his life, not just the carefully woven alliance between us and the entire Underworld… no, I meant everything.”

“What did he—“ North was interrupted again by her rage.  
“Grraahh! You guardians always seem to think that you’re above it all. That you can do anything you want and everything will be perfect and fine because of your stupid believers. Well I’m here to tell you that it’s not always fine, and a lot of times the problems that you have ‘fixed’ get shoved onto me.”  
“Seraphina—“

“Oh no! Don’t try to explain yourselves. Don’t try to apologize. I am done being your emissary and I am done bleaching out the stains that you’ve made. If that rabbit doesn’t successfully grovel and get himself out of this mess, so help me I will let Hades have whatever he wants. This planet is going to shit anyway. Your precious children won’t be around much longer. A few centuries is all they have left if they keep polluting the ocean and smogging up the skies.”  
“But—“

“And can I just say, that I have tried to make everything better? I’ve worked for decades to make the humans’ live longer and what do they do? They have oil spills, they create factories they put all the dolphins in the turkey meat! What is that? It’s disgusting! I can’t fight with that?”

“SERAPHINA!” Tooth’s voice rang out. The other three in the room jumped, and Mother Nature seemed to come down from her rant—realizing how off track she was.  
“You need to sit down and tell us what Bunny has done; and then we’re going to figure out a solution together.”

There were a few tense moments when the guardians weren’t sure if Seraphina was going to go off again or if she would be calm enough to explain herself. Then she moved, pulling her billowing skirt along with her and settled herself on one of the plush chaise lounges. 

They all relaxed slowly down into the empty couches, waiting for her breathing to return to normal. She stared at the coals that were just barely holding their warmth and tried to get control over her powers.

Finally she turned to them, solemnly and said, “There was nothing I could do. He was completely out of control. One minute everything was going well, Jack was about to leave and the next Aster became enraged and—“ She took a breath before continuing, “He followed Jack into the Underworld”.  
-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_

Hades surveyed the crowd. In all honesty, he hated parties. He didn’t think that there was really a reason for them. They were all gathering for court—to hear and work through all of the problems in the kingdom—why was he required to give them a reward for showing up?

He sighed—his counselors had suggested that he throw one in honor of Jack’s return. Yes, maybe it was true that he had treated the boy… unfairly last time he had been there, but the child never seemed to remember. The rest were the same, all blushes and doe-eyes. He didn’t know if it were a blessing or a curse that he had to start all over each season. 

It was really out of his hands, though. For nine months they were Seraphina’s elementals. He assumed that she was the one that wiped their memories of everything but the necessities, although he hadn’t discussed it with her. Being in the same room with that heathen disgusted him. 

His train of thought was disrupted abruptly by a commotion by the doors. The guests were scattering and a few of the women let out muffled shrieks behind veils. Two guards burst into the room, dragging a limp furry form between them. They dropped the ragged figure before their king, bowing low in the process.  
“Your majesty” Rajir, a hawk-demon sneered, “We’ve found a stowaway lurking by the dock.” 

“It’s alive?” Hades asked nonplussed, the limp form had yet to move, but the stink coming from it was definitely that of the River Acheron. Its flesh must have made contact with the water. He was surprised that there was this much left. Gerholdt, the bull, kicked it and the form moaned, drawing in on itself.

“Alive, sir.” He announced. Hades stood from his throne and the court instantly was on their knees. He sauntered forward and kneeled before the prone figure. He found the source of the smell immediately. Its left back paw had been soaked in the flesh-and-soul- eating liquid and it looked badly damaged. He pulled its head up by one of its long ears and distinguished the face of a rabbit, although he had never seen one so tall.

The rabbit in question moaned, it’s eyelids fluttering.  
“Bring a chair” He said and the servants flitted about to do his bidding. Her returned to the throne as the rabbit was hoisted into the stone chair that was brought out and set before the king. 

It’s head lolled to the side before jerking upwards, it’s eyes finally opening fully and body spasming in panic. The guards pulled him upright and held him to the back of the chair. He locked eyes with the king, pupils contracting in the torchlight.  
“What are you doing in my kingdom?” Hades asked, his voice commanding and stern.  
The rabbit seemed confused. Possibly it didn’t speak. He rolled his eyes in frustration, “I asked you a question, beast.”

“I—I was… I mean..” The thing sputtered. He sneered, “I don’t have time for this. Why did you not toss him in the river and be done with it.”  
“He was with the elemental. The winter spirit. In the mortal world.” Rajir said, bowing once again. This piqued Hades interest. His husband was in the company with this fool? He stood once again, the court finding their knees, and brought himself face to face with the rabbit.

“Why are you with my husband?”  
“I—I’m here to get him.”  
“Get him?” Hades laughed, “Get him what?”  
“I’m here ta bring him home.” The figure seemed to be having trouble staying awake, much less stringing two sentences together.  
Hades pursed his lips, but decided to humor the creature.

“You are the hero of this story, yes? Here to rescue the fair maiden?” The sarcasm dripped from his voice as he motioned for the people of the court to rise again. They began tittering amidst themselves as he circled the chair menacingly, “You were coming to his aid. How sweet.”  
“No, I was… I was stickin’ up for him. He didn’t have anyone else.”

“Well, now I see the error of my ways. Oh great rabbit—tell me of your heroic ways. I simply haven’t stuck up for my spouses. Ha! I guess that’s why I’m the king with four beautiful wives and you are the animal groveling at my feet.” He snapped his fingers and the chair disappeared, leaving Bunny in a heap. The rabbit gasped in pain as his weight was brought down on his injured paw. His brain fuzzed over again, cutting his retort into a short “fuck”.

“I’m sorry—what was that?” His ear was being twisted as the menacing king pulled his face up into the light, “Run that by me one more time, rabbit?” When he refused to answer the king gave his ear a hard yank and let him go, stalking around his body like a vulture. Bunny panted and tried to move his weight off of his bad paw, but the guards held his shoulders tightly, pressing against his attempts at freedom. 

“I like you, rabbit. You seem to be looking out for my spouse. Unfortunately, I don’t think you’ve heard the whole story.”  
“Ah’ve heard enough. Ah’ve heard that you keep them here against their will. And that you torture them. Ah’ve heard that their time here is so bad that their memories have ta be wiped just so they don’t kill themselves—Auuugh!” He cried as the blow landed on the side of his face. 

Hades seethed with unbridled fury, his eyes alight with a fire that imbued the essence of the kingdom he represented.  
Then he straightened and turned away from the rabbit, stepping back to his black throne, robes billowing behind him. He sat with the elegance of one used to ruling and clasped his hands in front of himself, mask back in place. He smiled as he reached a verdict. 

“Rajir, Gerholdt,” The guards straightened to attention, pulling the rabbit to his feet, “I would like you to take our guest back to where you found him. The underworld is no place for the living and I believe he was lost in coming here.”  
He took in the shaking form in front of him, “After you reach the dock I would like you to make sure he understands why the river of pain stands in between him and my kingdom. The River Acheron doesn’t forgive, sweet hero. I do wish I could come with you, but I have other plans with Jack tonight.”

The rabbit’s eyes widen with the realization that he wouldn’t be returning to the mortal world, “Wait… no, you can’t—“  
“Can’t I? I don’t know who you are, rabbit, but from what I can tell… you have an ego that matches that large mouth of yours. You think you can come take whatever you’d like from the Lord of the Underworld? You have big dreams, and I applaud you.” He smiled sinister, 

“But it’s now time to crush those dreams. So young hero, I, Hades, God of Death and Ruler of the Underworld, sentence you to death.”


	4. Throne

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "For nine months of the year he dreaded his time in the Underworld, but the moment he returned it was like the veil had been lifted and the lust that was locked down for most of the year resurfaced with hungry expectation."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There are mistakes. Please don't hurt me. I have a fever.

**The Throne Room of the High King Hades**

“STOP!” Jack burst through the golden-filigreed doors that slammed behind him. Bunny’s crumpled form lay before his husbands’ throne, barely registering the ultimatum or Jack’s cry.

He surged forward, pushing through the crowd and knelt at the pooka’s side, glaring at his husband in defiance.  
Hades’ face was set carefully, his features calculating as he took in the scene before him.

“You can’t kill him.” Jack said with more authority and finality than Hades had ever heard from the boy.  
“Jack… he has snuck into my kingdom, spread slanderous rumors and attempted to kidnap you—“

“He just doesn’t understand the situation.” Jack stood before his husband, “Please. If you spare him I would be indebted to you.”  
“You are my wife. You are already loyal and obedient to me. Why would I need your debt?”

Jack bit his lip. On the floor Bunny groaned and seemed to be coming back into awareness.  
“Look, I know Bunny’s messed up, but if you send him back I promise no problems will arise in the future. He won’t bother you again.”  
Hades steepled his fingers and pressed them to his lips, surveying the young demon boy in front of him.

“The rabbit holds significance to you?” He asked, “How do you know him?”  
Jack had nodded at the first question and thought for a moment before answering the second, “We’ve both sworn to protect the children of the world. He and I are Guardians.”

“And how does this rabbit mean to ‘protect the children of the world’ if he’s gallivanting after winter spirits all the time?” Hades inquired, leaning back upon the smooth obsidian throne.

Jack glanced down at his friend before replying, “He was just worried about me. I don’t think I explained the circumstances correctly. He may have thought that I would not return—“

“So you’ve been telling him things?” Hades leaned forward again and Jack shifted.  
“Yes… this year I told them, him and the other guardians, that I wouldn’t be around in the summer and Seraphina explained our arrangement.”

Hades nearly hissed at the sound of that witch’s name, but composed himself to reply, “Is this true Rabbit? You didn’t know of our marriage before?”  
Jack looked down to see Bunny peering up at them through cracked eyelids. His entire body was shaking with the strain of pushing himself off the floor.   
“Yeah. It’s true.”

“And is it true that you felt Jack would be mistreated in my kingdom.”  
Jack felt his insides grow cold.

“I… I didn’t—“ Jack started but Hades interrupted.  
“It was a question for the rabbit, Jack.”  
Bunny’s nose twitched furiously, “Seraphina said that she wipes their memories.” He coughed out. 

Jack looked startled and glanced back down at Bunny. The rabbit realized that he had just let the cat out of the bag and continued, “Why would she need ta do that?”

Hades stood and the crowd kneeled, “Seraphina and I have been at a crossroads for many years now. I suspect she does it to spite me. I assure you—no lasting harm comes to my elementals when they leave this place--. ”

“Ahhh that’s a load o cod’s wall—“ Bunny was cut short by Jack’s swift kick to the side. He looked up at the winter spirit, whose face was tense and then back at Hades.   
He took a breath, calmed down and tried again, “I am just worried about Jack. He doesn’t belong in a place like this. He needs ta be free.”

“He is free while he is here. He is allowed to come to court or explore the palace. We even visit the fields and take walks along the riverside. He is not a prisoner.”

Bunny wasn’t buying one second of it, but the other court members seemed to be.  
“Please,” Jack spoke up again, “Please let him go. You won’t ever see him again, I swear.”

“No no no. That won’t do. He’s made his way down here. The portal only opens four times a year for mortals. The rest of the time you have to die to cross over and it’s a one-way journey. If I were to ‘let him go’ he would have nowhere to go for three months.”

“Then… might he stay here?” Jack practically begged, drawing closer to Hades, “He’s strong and I’m sure he could learn a craft to better your kingdom.”  
“Hah. You assume that any craft in my kingdom could be learned in such a small amount of time. No, he is really of no use to me.”

“Then let me keep him. As a servant. I promise he will cause you no grief.”  
Hades took Jack in, huddling before the broken form of the rabbit. He snapped his fingers and the court members immediately began to retreat into the hallway. He dismissed the servants and guards as he stepped from the platform. Jack glanced around nervously as the taller figure approached.

“Why do you want to keep him? He is nothing but a burden.”  
“That’s not true. He’s a good friend.” Jack straightened to face him, “He may be a bit cocky and he may have acted without thinking, but you and I are guilty of those things as well.” The boy’s stubborn eyes flashed.

Hades stayed still for a moment and then leaned down, cupping Jack’s face and pressing their lips together heatedly.  
“My advisors say that I need to be more understanding. They’ve instructed me that I am sometimes too strict in my ways. You would have me take back my decree?”  
“It would be most gracious of you.” Jack bowed slightly, avoiding his eyes. 

“You’re lucky, Rabbit. You have a very powerful friend.” Jack blushed again, “I will spare him for the moment,” the god addressed the winter spirit, “He can work for us in the royal chambers. If he proves himself useful he may leave with you in the fall.”  
Jack shuddered in relief and knelt beside Bunny, attempting to pull him up.

Hades snapped his fingers and the servants returned to pull the pooka’s unconscious form from the room.

“Have him cleaned and adjusted. Once he’s been prepped have someone train him and bring him to my chamber later tonight. It will need cleaning.”  
-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_  
 **The Bath House, Hades’ Palace**  
The servants dragged the barely conscious form of the rabbit down to the lowest levels of the palace. He felt jolt of pain shoot through him as his leg was jostled on multiple stairs.

A heady scent filled his nostrils and he jolted awake. There was steam everywhere, permeating his thick fur and clouding his vision. He was dumped unceremoniously on a stone floor and he could hear voices all around him, though his brain couldn’t process what they were saying. 

A woman seemed to be upset about something, her shrill voice ringing through the mist. The servants backed away from him and called to someone in the distance. He heard their footsteps retreating and tried to push himself from the floor. 

A soft hand carded through the fur on his back, and he jerked away from it. The woman was there; murmuring soft reassurances and pulling him to his feet. Two more people came to support his weight as he was pulled into a reclining chair. 

It wasn’t the most comfortable way to sit for a pooka, but it definitely beat crouching on his injured leg. 

He felt a cool cloth upon his forehead and blinked wearily as his vision began to clear. She had an older face, her olive skin wrinkled with wisdom. Her gray-streaked hair was pulled into a tightly woven bun, and didn’t seem to be affected by the humidity. 

He groaned as another wave of pain washed over him. She pet his ears and he let her, the cool touch of her fingers feeling amazing to the thin membranes that regulated his temperature. 

“ My fortis bellator, we must clean your wound.” He tried to sit up but was pushed down, “Shhhh shhhhhh, we must or it will fester.” 

He relaxed under her touch, feeling weaker than he ever had. Her voice soothed him as the other two people in the room (he couldn’t get his eyes to focus on them) worked to patch the badly damaged foot.

They rinsed it with water and other oils. He could feel them working them into the skin and cried out as a stinging poultice was applied.   
“Shhhh Shhhh. You will be alright, fortis bellator meus.” She gave a few more instructions and there were soft fabrics being wrapped around the aching appendage. 

She pressed something to his lips and he drank it readily. The liquid tasted of sunshine and left him feeling light and dizzy. The last thing he heard was:  
“Rest now. We will bathe you when you are well.”  
-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_

**The Throne Room, Hades’ Palace**

The party had not resumed after Hades had dismissed the servants carrying Bunny out of the room. The court members did not resume their idle gossip and the servants did not bring out fresh platters of grapes or cheese. The throne room was quiet and for the first time Jack realized that he and Hades were completely alone. 

He slowly walked back toward the thrones where Hades was lounging and took his place next to his husband. After a moment he turned and said, “Thank you. For sparing Bunny.”

“Is his name truly Bunny?” Hades seemed a bit confused, “It seems a bit derogatory to me…”  
Jack smiled, “His name is E. Aster Bunnymund. We call him Bunny, though, for short.” The king nodded in understanding. 

“He’s rather brave. Not everyone would traipse into the underworld without a plan just to make sure their friend is being treated well.”  
“He’s very loyal. I’m sure the others are wondering where he’s gone.”

“Others?” Hades sipped his wine as he kept up the conversation. Jack felt that for all the effort Hades was putting up to seem aloof, that he really was listening intentily. There was something about the gleam in his eyes. Jack had never mentioned the guardians before (that he could remember) because the mortal world and this world just didn’t mesh. There was no reason to talk about what he did in the mortal world. He was a different person down here. 

“Yes… Seraphina and the other guardians.”  
“They know he is here?” Hades asked.  
“Yes, Seraphina,” Hades twitched again at the name, “was with me at the temple. She saw the whole thing.”

“Well, I hope they don’t have any ideas of following your rabbit friend. He’s caused enough damage as it is.”  
Jack ducked his head and didn’t reply. What could he say? If the guardians could find a way they probably would try and rescue Bunny. But if Hades was true to his word and the rest of the summer went smoothly then possibly he and the pooka could get out of here unscathed. 

“I am sorry, Jack.” The boy looked up in surprise and Hades continued, “I believe I acted without thinking. I should have heard the entire story before coming up with a decision. I guess you could say that I acted very much like your rabbit friend.”  
Jack smiled at him, “We all act that way sometimes. It’s just most people don’t have the power to throw people into rivers.”  
The king nodded in agreement.

“My King—“ Jack started but Hades held up a hand.  
“It’s Hades, Jack. There is no one else around.”  
“Yes.. Hades. May I go check on Aster? He was badly injured and I want to make sure he’s okay.”

Hades face was tight for a moment and Jack didn’t miss the glint in his eyes. But his face quickly changed, his eyes crinkling and his lips turning upwards.

“Yes, of course.” He replied jovially, and Jack was sure that he had imagined the faint trace of harshness before, “But you have to promise to meet me for dinner later.”  
“Yes, my Lord.” Jack said as he bowed out.   
-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_

**Punjam Hy Loo, Asia**

The guardians sat in horrified silence as Seraphina finished her tale for the third time. They had gone over the details many times as they had questions and she had been extremely patient with them. But her patience was wearing thin.  
“But how will they get out?” Tooth asked.

Seraphina regarded her calculatingly. “The portal for non-dead souls opens four times a year. This is the only time that an elemental may leave the underworld without being directly accompanied by Hades.” 

“So basically they’re stuck down there until he lets them out?” Tooth confirmed.  
“Or until August comes and Jack returns. I do not know if Hades will allow Aster to leave. He is very possessive about what he believes is his. If it’s in his kingdom he will want to keep it.”

“But Bunny is not dead” North chimed in, “He has no claim to him.”  
“Aster went to the Underworld of his own volition. This alone will be enough for Hades to claim him.”

Sandy drew a picture of Bunny and a picture of many other pookas. At first they didn’t understand until he made a clock going backwards and the earth becoming less populated by humans and growing more trees. 

“I think he’s trying to ask about what will happen to the earth when there are no more Pooka?” Tooth said and Sandy nodded.

Seraphina sniffed, “He should have thought of the consequences when he had the chance. Really… you would think that a spirit so old would have a bit more sense.”  
Sandy shook his head and once more pointed at the earth that he had created, which was now covered in sky scrapers and factories, their pollution and smog clogging the atmosphere until the entire globe was covered with filth. 

“Yes… that is partially a consequence of Bunny’s magic leaving the earth. He is first and foremost a Pooka, an observer and a protector. But he also possessed magic that keeps this world in balance. It was amplified when the other Pooka’s were killed. He is life.”

“So if something happens to him?” Tooth was afraid of the answer.  
“The absence of life is death.” Seraphina said sternly.  
-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_

**The Bath House, Hades’ Palace**

Bunny wearily opened his eyes, and upon finding the dim light of the torches too bright shut them again. 

He heard a familiar voice call out his name and tried once again to peer through heavy eyelids. Jack’s face swam into view, his skin dark and shadowed. He looked as exhausted as Bunny felt, but smiled in relief when the rabbit croaked out a groggy, “What?”

The elderly woman was back, and asked, “How you feel, Pooka?” He looked at her for a moment before shrugging. He didn’t feel as awful as he had before, just extremely sleepy. 

“The medicine will take few minutes to work out. He will be very tired.” The woman was talking to Jack now and his reply was lost to Bunny as he drifted in and out of consciousness. 

The next time he awoke fully he felt as though he had slept for a very long time. Jack was still sitting next to him and smiled when Bunny looked over, though the woman was gone.

“How long wuz I out?” He asked wearily, attempting to pull himself up. His muscles groaned in protest, not used to sleeping in such a… human… position.

“An hour or so.” Jack said as he helped Bunny get comfortable. He propped a few pillows behind him and the rabbit sank into them gratefully.  
“Pomponia said that you would be hungry.” Jack said, “But you can’t eat without a collar.” 

“What do you mean?” Bunny’s eyes shot down to the black band that wrapped itself around Jack.  
“They bind living spirits to the underworld without creating lasting effects. They allow us to visit and eat without punishment. Normally mortals that eat the food of the Underworld are cursed to stay here, but the bands are the loophole.”

“Huh… I just thought you royal pain in the ass was kinky.”  
Jack’s brow furrowed.  
“Why did you follow me?” his voice was barely audible over the babbling of the water. Bunny looked away from him.

“I couldn’t leave ya in here ta rot.”  
“I’m not rotting, Bunny. I guess I should have been more honest about what happens. It’s not really all that bad.”  
“Ya can rememba’ it then? All of it?”

Jack stumbled on his answer, “Well… no. Not all of it. Hades says Seraphina wipes our memories, and I plan to talk with her about that when we get back.”  
Bunny didn’t respond. 

Jack shuffled, “You should have stayed up there. You have no idea what it’s like down here.”  
“I have a feelin’ I’m about ta find out, mate.” Bunny said wryly and Jack shot a glare at him. 

“I said that it wasn’t bad for me. But you’re no one to him. He at least has oaths to give me back in one piece.”  
Bunny winced.  
“Look. I don’t want to scare you, but for the next three months you’re going to have to be careful.”

Jack stood and beckoned the woman back over.  
“Pomponia will take care of you. Your wound should be healed now. She’ll get a collar for you, too. You’ll look different and it’ll be weird a first—“

“Jack…”  
“but it’ll be fine. Next you’ll be trained. Remember to speak when spoken to- you don’t want to be sent to the fields-- ”

“Jack, please.”  
“Bunny. Stop. I need you to listen. From now on we aren’t going to talk except for in private. I can’t be seen with you. I can’t let him know how important…” Jack paused, “He can’t know that we’re friends. If you need me get word to Pomponia. I think we can trust her. Other than that do not try to contact me. Understand?”  
“Wait..”  
“Do you understand?”  
“Yes, but”  
“One more thing. You’ll be working in the royal chambers, so you’ll figure it out pretty soon, but…” Jack’s face flushed but he pursued onward, “He’s going to fuck me, Bunny… and you mustn’t try and stop him.”  
-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_

 

**Near the Royal Gardens, Hades’ Palace**

Jack panted as his mind worked in overdrive to compute everything that was happening. He was walking through the palace hallways at great speed, his bare feet pounding into the stone. He felt unbalanced—like everything he had known was being rewritten right in front of him. Bunny was here. Bunny had come to save him.   
And yet?

His heart began to pound in his chest, almost painful in it’s race. He felt his entire body tingling as though he was flying through a lightening charged cloud. The walls around him began to shift, pulling in as he teetered back in forth, scrabbling for purchase. 

He suddenly felt like he was going to be sick and leaned over an ornate urn. His stomach roiled and he gagged, but nothing came up. He spent a few more moments gasping as the world slowly began to right itself.

Shaky and breathless he pushed himself from the urn and continued on until he found the thing he had been looking for: The royal gardens. 

He thought that these four glass walls held the most peaceful in the entire palace. The tall rose bushes and creeping vines kept him from the public eye and the trill of birds and soft babbling of magic-made creeks soothed him. It reminded him of home.

He felt the weight of the entire day hit him as he slouched against one of the stone gargoyles that lined a fountain’s edge. He slid down and sunk his feet into the clear water. He stared down at his reflection, all sheer fabric, dark skin and twisting horns.   
He rubs his eyes, more to keep himself from looking into his own freakish features than anything else.

What was he doing?  
There was no way that he could juggle everything this time. Before this he could always separate his time in the mortal world from the underworld. This time there was a bridge. After he was done being Hades’ Jack there wouldn’t be a Guardian Jack to return to; they would become one and the same with Bunny’s testimony. 

Bunny would always know of what transpired here. What Hades did to him. What he wanted Hades to do to him. Bunny would know.   
And nothing would be the same again.

There wasn’t anything Jack could really do. If he denied Hades, the god would be furious. The treaty might even be in balance. But if he allowed Bunny to work in the royal chambers…?

Flashes of memories engulfed his mind of other servants. They never seemed to last long. Hades was picky about the service they provided. If they didn’t do what he wanted they would be ‘asked’ to transfer to the fields. 

Jack shuddered at the thought of Bunny being forced to work for the torturers. He had seen the aftermath.  
More urgently Jack was remembering the times when Hades would keep him in the chambers for days, requiring the chamber maids to care for them while they fucked lazily. Hades was nothing if not voyeuristic. 

Jack’s stomach turned at the thought of Bunny seeing him with the king. Maybe he could talk to Hades and get Bunny transferred somewhere else. Perhaps Pomponia would need a new servant in the bathhouse. The pooka probably wouldn’t be comfortable, but he would be safe. 

But if Hades didn’t like what Jack’s request implied the situation could be turned on its head. Perhaps Hades would use their friendship to his advantage—

Jack shook his head. Other than some unprecedented feelings of unease (that was all on Jack’s part) Hades had given no evidence of being an unseemly host. In fact, Jack was almost certain that his unease was coming from the absence of knowledge of his past experience with the king. If Seraphina would just allow them to have their memories, perhaps many of the doubts would be eased even before they returned to the Underworld. 

For now all Jack could do was hide all of his misgivings and give Hades what was expected of him. Then, perhaps in a few days, he could persuade the god to relinquish his tight hold on Bunny.   
One step at a time. Dinner. Drinks. Spread your legs. He could do that. Right?

He stood and made his way from the fountain, feeling both nervous and excited about the night ahead.   
-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_

**The Royal Chambers, Hades’ Palace**

Jack felt his senses overloading as more and more memories resurfaced. Flashes of heated kisses all over the kingdom came to him as his husband pressed their bodies together. His cheeks were burning and he didn’t know what to do with his hands, but Hades didn’t seem to mind as he tilted the boy’s head back and gently pushed his tongue out to swipe at the younger’s lips.

The boy reacted just as expected, with a small start and a gasp, allowing access to the chilly mouth that Hades invaded like an addict searching for their next hit.

They were sitting in the lantern lit room that they spent most of his nights in. The god had no need for sleep, but as a demon, Jack would need to recharge every so often. This room was used for all of the wives of Hades, although each had their own private rooms to use if needed. 

At the moment they were sitting on the couch, it’s deep purple fabric pressing into Jack like a hug. The numerous pillows had been scattered to create a comfortable nest and Hades pressed himself closer to Jack, who shuddered.

Jack felt himself heat up his body aching hungrily for something that scared him. He felt Hades shift to press the younger further into the plush couch that seemed to swallow him. Jack half wished that it would. The other half of him wanted to rip off the god’s clothes and lick every bit—

He pulled back from the kiss with a gasp. Hades used this to his advantage, tilting Jack’s head and pressing his lips to his jawline. He nibbled further and further until he found Jack’s earlobe and took it between his teeth. The younger spirit gasped as the sensations of pain and pleasure that jolted through his body. 

It was difficult to explain why he was acting like this. For nine months of the year he dreaded his time in the Underworld, but the moment he returned it was like the veil had been lifted and the lust that was locked down for most of the year resurfaced with hungry expectation. 

It frightened and exhilarated him at how much he was turned on by someone whom he had been forced to marry. His mind whirled and he could barely keep up as Hades slipped a hand under the delicate robes, running it over the smooth plane of his stomach. Jack arched into the touch, wanting more and questioning why this was. 

Was it the demon blood that reacted to its master? Was it some sick portion of his mind that craved being touched? Wanted? Owned?

He pushed the thoughts away as his husband bit and licked at his nipples through his shirt, teasing him thoroughly. He reached up with shaking hands and grabbed ahold of the dark hair that curled and tangled around his fingers. The bright white horns that poked from Hades’ soft locks were perfect handholds for Jack, who felt like his limbs had turned to jelly.

Hades pulled back and Jack choked out a moan, not even trying to conceal his arousal. His face was flushed and his pupils huge with need. He felt a bit silly, but at the same time his husband wasn’t in any better of a state. 

“Mmmmmm I’ve truly missed you. Always so enthusiastic.” Hades murmured, running his hands down Jack’s thighs. Jack smiled at him and hesitantly pushed forward to press their lips back together.

Don’t think. Just do. His body screamed at him and he obeyed readily.  
Hades pulled back again with a small laugh, “So impatient! I haven’t even given you your present yet.” 

Jack blushed darker and stammered, “Y-you didn’t have to get me anything.”  
“Well when I saw it I knew that it would match your eyes exactly.” Hades said as he pulled himself from the couch, “So really it’s a present for myself. I get to see you wear it.” He pulled a small ornate box from the shelf on the wall and handed it to Jack.  
Upon prying up the lid Jack was awestruck at the beautiful circlet cushioned in red satin. The beautiful gold was intricately carved into swirls and loops, artistically accentuating the gleaming sapphires that glinted in the torchlight. Jack brushed a finger over the fine craftsmanship and carefully lifted it from the box. He turned to Hades, feeling overwhelmed with gratitude.

The god beckoned him to stand and he did, placing the box on the side table. The circlet was taken from his and fitted carefully over his horns and down onto his white locks. He felt the cool metal slide down to his forehead where it rested just above his brows. 

Hades then lifted the red satin cushion to reveal two large earrings that matched exactly. He slid the metal spikes into the freshly made holes on Jack’s ears and latched the earrings closed. He stepped back admiring the view.

“Beautiful as always.” He said in admiration. Jack had yet to speak and could only find a hushed, ‘thank you’ on his lips as he ran his fingers over the details on the earrings.

Sparing Bunny. Throwing the party. Thinking of him when he wasn’t here. Jack wasn’t sure if this kind of treatment was normal for Hades, but his previous qualms about leaving the mortal world were quickly dissipating. He pressed his lips against his husbands gently, trying to express his gratitude. 

Hades tilted his head to deepen the kiss asking for entrance with a prodding tongue. Jack opened his mouth readily feeling the hot organ greet his own with a passion that took his breath away. 

He wrapped his hands around Hades’ waist and was pulled toward the couch again. They collapsed in a tangle of limbs, and Jack felt that the entire world had melted into just Hades. He was all over him: his scent, his heat… his voice as it groaned in pleasure. Jack could feel the stiff hardness of his husband’s cock pressing firmly into his thigh. So, so close. He ground his hips upward wanting that friction. 

Hades gladly gave it to him, their cocks straining at each other through shifting fabric. Jack gasped, feeling pleasure course through his body, as the god plowed into his hips.

Jack felt himself harden even more, his heart pounding in his ears and his fingers scrabbling for purchase. Hades worked his way down to his neck and licked underneath Jack’s collar, making the boy moan.  
“Oh, Jack…” Hades groaned as he played with the boys nipples again, “I am going to ruin you.”  
He ran one long hand down the boy’s body, feeling the hardness tenting the trousers. He traced the edges from tip to root and dipped his hand further to cup gently at the wet mound below. Jack mewled under him and arched into the touch. If he had any embarrassment about being with the man before him, it was quickly going out the window.  
It was as if all he knew was this. Hades grinned at Jack’s response and moved back up to work at the belt holding the pants up.  
Once the belt and tunic were removed Jack felt that hot mouth return to his chest, slowly making it’s way down to trace the faint curve of his belly button. Jack closed his eyes and tried not to buck his hips like a wanton wench. 

Hades’ lips were upon his clothed member before he had time to react to the tickling tongue and he gasped at the sensation. His pants were slowly, infuriatingly slowly, being pulled down as Hades worked at him through the fabric.

He attempted to moan out his husbands’ name, but all that was audible was “Ha—hnnnn—“ as the very tip of his cock sprang free and was readily captured in the wet heat. He scrambled for a lock of hair or a portion of fabric to hold onto as Hades freed more of his twitching cock from its confines.

That mouth…that glorious, wonderful mouth. Hades tongue swirled around he head as he lifted the boy’s hips to pull the dark fabric from under him. Jack’s knees were bent upwards so that the pants could be taken off without Hades ever breaking the contact that Jack craved.

Breath hitching and hands fisting into cushions, Jack felt his impending orgasm building in his belly. It was a fire that burned hotter than the Sahara. It coiled and pulsed with each bob of Hades’ talented lips.

Jack didn’t even try to hold back the lewd noises coming from his mouth. Hades seemed to enjoy sucking every moan and gasp from his charge and Jack wasn’t strong enough to suppress them at all. He groaned as Hades’ fingers traced the outline of the lips below his aching cock. They were spread just wide enough for two fingers to just barely slide in to the nail before being pulled back again. 

This went on for what seemed like ages, teasing the pink flesh within until Jack could barely stand it. He arched and spread his legs further, pushing down on the fingers in hopes that Hades would quit his teasing and properly finish the job. 

The god laughed around Jack’s jerking cock and the vibrations nearly sent Jack over the edge. His entire body tightened at the precipice, and Hades took it as a sign. He took Jack’s entire length into his mouth as his two fingers finally pushed past the entrance to Jack’s quim.

Jack entirely lost it, his mind going white and fuzzy as he screamed out something garbled that was meant to be the name of his lover.   
He shook and pulsed, his body instinctively clamping down on the invading fingers while Hades worked every drop of semen from his cock.

Jack realized he was still ranting as he came down from his high.   
Hades pulled up off of his cock, which was still half hard in the ‘teenage-pre-round-two-interest’ that always seemed to follow a good orgasm. 

Hades slowly slid his fingers from Jack, the wetness inside evident on the glistening appendages. He crawled back up to kiss the boy who was lying spent, eyes fluttering and smile bright. Jack tasted himself on Hades’ tongue as they met once again in an intricate dance. 

Jack wrapped his legs around Hades’ hips as they rocked together, kissing passionately on the thin couch. Jack felt heat all around him and found it oddly comforting. It wasn’t like when he had too many cups of cocoa or when his naps in the warren would last too long.  
This heat was different. It was coming from the outside, yes. From the cushions that absorbed the heat of their love making, to the source of the passion on top of him, to the heat that seemed to radiate from his own body. 

Hades pulled back and stared longingly at the spirit below him. Jack looked back quizzically. Hades pulled Jack’s head forward and planted a kiss on the boy’s forehead, just above the ornate circle of gold. 

He pushed himself off of the boy, who remained silent. Hades stooped to support the boys back and knees as he lifted him up and carried him to the bed. If the boy was flustered he was good at hiding it. He placed him under the turned down silk sheets and pulled them up around his chest.

“What—“ The question burned on Jack’s lips and Hades shushed him gently. He pulled the boys head up once more to remove the metal band and earrings, laying them on the bedside table.

“I can see that you’re exhausted. We’ve had a long day.” He kissed the boy once more, “I have a few things to attend to with my council. Sleep now. I will see you in the morning.”

Hades waved a hand and the lights dimmed even further, leaving the room with only the barest glow, as he stepped out of the room. The heavy stone door swung shut with another show of magic and Jack let out a surprised breath.

He had expected to be taken… more than once. If the memories that had been resurfacing over the last few hours were to be trusted, then Hades was truly the embodiment of all the Greek legends. 

Prideful, Handsome, Insatiably Horny. 

To not have Jack in every position multiple times was… well… it was pleasantly surprising.   
Jack felt the tension leaving his body as he enjoyed his post-orgasm haze. His eyes fluttered shut and Jack felt himself drifting.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm feeling a lot better now that I've finished this chapter. I feel like my concience has been clean and I can get stuff done now. I know that it's really supposed to work the other way around. Like school and applications should come first and when I'm done with those I can do this, but while I was working on them earlier all I could think was how it had been two weeks since I updated.
> 
> This chapter was really hard to write. I don't know if it's just a lull in plot or if it's just that my senior year of college is kicking me in the butt and I've got way too much on my plate.  
> This weekend has been kinda nice, though. I got sick on friday and have been battling fevers on and off since then. Basically I've just laid in bed with my ricola's and tea and watched fringe on netflix or slept. Been pretty relaxing.   
> Of course now I've got WAY TOO MUCH to do in just two days. But it'll be worth all the sleepless nights when I've graduated and can make enough money to not depend on my parents. 
> 
> Ugh sorry for the rant. Basically I wanted to say please review. I don't know how that turned into all of ^that but it did...  
> Anywho- review! I want questions and concerns and error-pointing-out and grammatically-correct-flames and possibly some non-grammatically-correct-fangirling (i.e. alsdknfoasihfasodlfhasdfoadf aosdfhansodhfsodfh). Anything you guys want to give me I will soak up like a sponge and store it in the cavern where my self confidence used to be.
> 
> Oh! And come talk to me on [TUMBLR](http://jack-frost-of-the-underworld.tumblr.com/)! If you guys would like to draw some fanart I've been thinking about having a place for that.   
> Yeah... I'm gonna go sleep now. It's been a weird day.


	5. Curtain

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Persephone's dress flowed from her and spread into delicate folds of stone that ran along the wall to rest on the floor. She was extremely beautiful with large eyes, a sloping nose and angular lips, depicting an array of emotions. From what Jack could see, she seemed happiest in nature."

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**The Night Before, Servant’s Barracks, Hades Palace**

“What’s a Pooka?” The toad-like demon asked Bunny as they walked through the crowded servants’ passageway. Bunny was having trouble getting past all the clutter- between empty lanterns; stacked serving trays and dirty linens, this place seemed to be a catchall for chores that needed to be completed. On top of that there were many different servants of strange sizes and shapes pushing their way past him in a blind rush to get to their next task. He shuddered as something slimy slithered over his foot and answered, “Uhh… kinda like a demon. Supernatural being of sorts.”

“You don’t really look like a demon. We’ll have to get you a collar so you won’t starve down here.” The smaller being in front of him hopped over a fallen bust; the nose and one of the ears needing remodeling.

Bunny followed him past rows and rows of stairway entrances till he found himself in a brightly lit room that seemed to be covered in fabric. From the look of it the entirety of the underworld’s wardrobe seemed to be made here and many demons frantically worked at looms, crafting beautiful designs into the delicate fabrics.

“Got a new guy here. From the upper.” Toad hopped over to one of the ladies, “Hades’ little toy brought us a treat.” Bunny curled his nose but kept his mouth shut. Everything was being flipped upside down and the only thing he knew is that Jack trusted him to not cause a stir. He couldn’t control anything about the situation that he found himself in, but he could sure as hell control his tongue.

The ladies in the sewing room were eyeing him with expressions that ranged from disgust to a look so smitten that it rivaled the mini-fairies looking at Jacks’ pearly whites.

“So, doll face- you gotta name?” A sheep with four eyes flounced her way over to him cloyingly.  
“Aster.”  
“Oh, it’s Aster, is it? I thought it was Bunny.” The toad licked his grubby lips, “Or were ya lying to the king?”

“No… I go by both.” The toads’ brow furrowed but he dropped the subject.  
“You need a collar, don’t you?” Miss Four Eyes batted her long eyelashes in his directions, “I love a boy in uniform.” He tried to control his lip from curling in disgust.

“Ya- he’s gotta get one quick too- Hades wants him to clean tonight.”  
“There’s no way you can train him in a few hours- there are too many rules.” The voice came from behind Bunny and he turned to find himself face to face with the ugliest woman he had ever encountered. At first glance she looked human, though extremely distorted, but upon further consideration Bunny concluded that she must be a cross between a person and a pile of snot.

Her face sagged, her eyebrows almost coming to rest at her cheeks and her jowls quivering as her thin lips pronounced each word carefully, “He’ll have to wait till the morning. Tell Athellati that he’s on duty for tonight.” The sheep bowed slightly and ran from the room, with one last flirtatious twitch of her tail.

The woman moved slowly, her entire being seemed to shift as though made from tectonic plates. Her large stomach distended far past the hem of her shirt and it wobbled to and fro as she pulled herself towards one of the worktables. Her greasy hair was knotted and he could see what looked like ants making their home in the graying twists. She reached the table and, with a great deal of effort, pulled a box from the shelf below and placed it on the table.

“Won’t be as good as if I had _time_ to make one, wish I had known you were coming.”  
“It wasn’t really a planned trip.” He answered sarcastically and she glared at him. Toad chimed in with a scoff, “Careful, rabbit. You don’t want to get on Mama Rosie’s bad side.”

“No offense, ma’am.” He corrected, though he wished he could simply speak his mind. She accepted this and turned back to the box. From it she pulled long strands of what appeared to be black thread, though it was so thin that it bobbed frantically with each noxious breath she expelled.

She sat for a while, gathering the threads into the palm of her chubby hand before grunting and making her way over to another table where multiple smaller looms were set up. Bunny followed her and stared in fascination as a hoard of spiders came from a shallow box and began to gather the thread; their quick legs pulling and clamping it to the edges of the miniscule looms. 

Once all the threads were tethered they went to work, weaving their dark bodies between the pulled strings, designing elaborate latticework that conjoined the dark tendrils beautifully. It took less than a minute before a detailed collar had been formed. 

The Greek symbols designed into the black webbing weren’t ones that Bunny had seen before and he recorded them to his memory. Maybe he could ask Jack what they meant—scratch that. Jack had said that they weren’t to talk. But how would the make a plan for escape without talking? Bunny shook his head—first things first—he needed to pretend to be all in. That’s what was going to keep them both alive for now.  
He submitted to the collar being run through the fur on his neck and his body flowed naturally into a demonic form. The feeling of being merged with demon DNA wasn’t as unfamiliar as he had expected—it almost matched the sensation of shifting.

“So how does that work?” He asked, looking down as his darkened fur and wondering what kind of animal he had merged with, “Tha collar, I mean.”

“The threads are made from the heartstrings of demons. The spiders are some of Aphrodite’s actually. She had a knack for changing arrogant humans into less appealing creatures. They still remember being human and are… trainable.”  
He glanced down at the spiders that were now retreating back into the small box and felt a slither of dread growing in his belly. Aphrodite was supposedly a nice goddess—if a little vain—and he was now in the company of one of the most notorious gods of them all.

He swallowed nervously, trying to calm his fears, as he was lead to another table. Robes were pulled around his frame, fabrics of gray and green. A black sash was tied around his waist and the bands around his feet removed. His bandolier had gone missing at some point and he felt extremely naked without his weapons.

“So… whose ready for training? I’m not going to lie- it normally takes a servant a few years to learn everything- so don’t get surprised if you’re sent to the fields for screwing up!” Toad exclaimed as Mama Rosie slithered back to her loom. Although he was exhausted Bunny forced himself to follow Toad from the room, already surrendering himself to a sleepless night.  
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 **The Next Morning, Royal Bed Chambers**

Jack awoke feeling extremely rested. The oil in the lamps had been changed, transforming the flames from blues and purples to cheerful yellows. He blinked for a few moments, enjoying the soft pillow pressed against his face and the heavy duvet bearing down on his back. 

He heard a rustling behind him and had a moment of panic before dark fingers curled in his hair and a deep “good morning” alerted him of his husband’s presence. He turned slightly, blinking up at the looming god. He smiled at the warmth he found in Hades’ gaze and was rewarded with a kiss. The god’s mouth seared against his own and he felt a fluttering of want run through his belly.

He trembled as the god shifted to lay closer to the boy, their bodies separated by the feather stuffed duvet. As Hades pulled back from the kiss Jack realized that the king was completely naked other than the jewelry on his ears and fingers. He also realized with a jolt, that the pressure on his thigh was not in fact, his husband’s leg.

He felt warmth blossom in his stomach as he realized that Hades must have been lying there thinking about him while watching him sleep. He knew he should probably feel a bit weirded out by it, but honestly, it was a bit flattering.

Hades pressed his firm lips down to Jack’s in another kiss that left Jack a shivering mess. He ran his hands through the boy’s hair as he propped himself up almost directly on top of his smaller companion. Jack gasped at the renewed feeling of Hades’ erection pressing firmly into his groin.

The god moved down to his neck, licking and nipping as Jack caught his breath.  
“G—good morning to you.” Jack finally replied breathily, nerves and arousal getting the best of his vocal cords.  
“mmmmmm” Hades moaned and teased his way from Jack’s collar bone up to his ear, where he ran his hot tongue over the rim. Jack shivered in delight.  
Hades pulled back with a sigh and Jack quirked his eyebrows, questioning silently.  
“The first couple of weeks are always the hardest… I… want you.” Hades confessed and Jack bit his lip to hide his smile, “but I know that I am still somewhat of a stranger to you. I just… I do remember everything. I remember every year, and it’s hard not to move too fast and spook you.”  
Jack blinked, as Hades continued.

“It’s different for all of the elementals. Each one of you has a completely different relationship with me, so when I say that I’ve missed you I truly mean you. You’re not like the rest, Jackie.” The pet name startled Jack, along with the confession.  
“I am remembering… some.” He said slowly, blushing scarlet, under his dark skin, at the memory that had surfaced the day previous in the throne room.  
Shifting to hover above him, Hades smiled, his long hair cascading down around Jack’s face and creating a curtain to house their private moment. Jack returned the smile, “I know that we’ve had fun… and last night was really great.”

“Mmmmmhhh. You like this tongue?” Hades’ dirty mouth surprised Jack and a jolt of pleasure went straight to his cock. He bit his lip again, not wanting to show how turned on he was. He was sort of enjoying their talk… but he also had been enjoying the kissing.  
Hades laughed, suddenly, and rolled off the boy. 

“It’s always so fun to see who you’ll be until you get your memories back! Sometimes you’re shy and sometimes you’re so dirty I don’t think we’ll have anything new to try once the three months are over.” 

Jack blushed again, trying to position his legs so that the god wouldn’t see the distinct tent in the duvet, while desperately attempting not to stare at the cock saluting through his husband’s legs. Hades laid for a while, stroking himself as Jack watched from the corner of his eye.

“…It wouldn’t be so bad.” Jack finally interrupted the voyeuristic masturbation when Hades closed his eyes and started to twist his fingers, tauntingly. Jack could feel his own cock responding to the show. Hades cracked and eye and made a questioning sound deep in his throat. Jack swallowed again before answering,  
“To try something new? It wouldn’t be too bad.” He hoped he knew what he was getting himself into.

Hades’ smile crooked upwards and his hand stilled. He looked over at Jack whose body shook with the anticipation.

“That’s what I like to hear, Jackie!” He replied enthusiastically, and leaned over to kiss Jack, smiling. He pulled back and sighed, “We do have to get to court, though.”  
Jack felt a bit deflated. Surely the court would wait for the king? Hades was eyeing him and he decided to risk it. He pushed Hades from him and onto pillows, “Have it your way.” He said and made to leave the bed, knowing full well how completely naked and embarrassingly hard he was. 

Hades playful snarl turned to laughter as he pulled Jack down on top of him, eliciting a yelp from the younger. His long fingers graced the bucking curve of Jack’s belly and made their way down to the bobbing erection as their mouths collided once again.  
Jack felt himself losing control as Hades mouth took him again and again, only parting briefly for air as practiced fingers stroked and twisted along his shaft. He moaned, bucking into the warmth above and Hades shushed him, grinning wickedly against his mouth.

The king pulled back as his hand slowed and Jack almost whimpered before his brain caught up with his body. Gathering his pride he pushed the noise back into his throat and tried to pull Hades back down for a kiss.

“Uh uh uh…” Hades said as his finger played gently with the head of Jack’s weeping cock, “Not so fast… I have other plans for that mouth of yours.”  
Jacks mouth went dry as he felt the hot shaft press into his leg. He mewled pitifully as Hades hand moved torturously slow, pulling at his sensitive skin. 

“Do you want to play a game?” Hades said and Jack found himself nodding. Hades pressed his lips firmly against Jack’s and whispered steamily, “The first one to cum loses.”

He pulled away completely then, pushing himself to lie on the soft pillows. Jack took a few shaky breaths before moving to join him, already feeling like he was about to lose. Still there was a competitive streak in him that wanted to beat Hades at his own game. He went to straddle the god’s torso, but was redirected. Hades turned him around until he was on top of his chest, his ass on display to the god below, who hummed appreciatively. Hades palmed his cheeks and spread them as Jack ground his aching erection into the firmness below. He glanced over his shoulders, as Hades licked his lips, and stuttered, “You’re cheating. Don’t start without me.”

“I’m the king. The game starts when I want it to.” Hades said and promptly pulled Jack’s hips back until his slit was mere inches from that hot mouth. Jack gasped as Hades’ breath washed over him and turned towards his own task. 

The god’s cock was as hard as it had been when they’d begun, but was now leaking white pre cum from the tip. Jack ran his hands down Hades’ firm stomach as he leaned towards the twitching appendage. Had it gotten bigger in the last year or was he just not remembering it right? There was no way that it was going to fit all the way in his mouth.

Hades gave an experimental lick to the soft lips before him and Jack nearly howled, feeling the god’s fingers coming over the crest of his hip in search of his cock. He had to act fast or he wouldn’t even come close to winning. He licked his lips generously as his fingers ghosted down the shaft.

Hades moaned appreciatively against Jack and the boy took it as a sign to continue. With renewed effort he gripped the base firmly as his lips found purchase upon the smooth head. He bobbed back and forth tentatively, his courage growing with the noises that he was eliciting from his husband. Hades seemed lost in the sensation, as he had stopped his teasing as Jack’s crease. 

Jack licked around the edge, allowing his tongue to dip around the foreskin before moving further down, laving it thoroughly as his throat opened to take in more. Hades moaned once more before coming back to himself and licking Jack from the base of his aching cock to the very edge of his perineum. 

His lewd tongue dipped into the increasingly wet passage and teased the velvet folds as his talented fingers pulled as the cock trapped between their bodies. Jack’s hands roamed as his head began to bob in tandem to Hades’ ministrations. He felt his climax coming faster than he would have liked.

Hades pressed a bit deeper into his cavern and Jack felt a brief sting of pressure. Hades pulled back and chuckled darkly, “looks like you’ve grown your hymen back this year.” Jack moaned around the wide cock in his mouth, remembering full well how much it hurt to be ripped by the hot organ that first time.

Hades tongue was back in his parted folds, applying pressure to that taught membrane that blocked the bottom half of his entrance.  
Jack sucked in hard as Hades stretched his tongue around it, pushing further in. At this angle the wet appendage dragged mercilessly against him and his cock ached with desire. He tried to rut against the hand, but it remained constant in it’s rhythmic stroking.

He twisted his head this way and that, feeling his climax rising in his belly. It wouldn’t be long, and no matter how much he really wanted to just release and let himself go, there was a stubborn part of him that really wanted to win.  
Hades seemed to be getting close too, his stomach and thigh muscles bucking erratically.

Hades groaned loudly as Jack’s slim fingers traced the edge of his balls, pulling gently at the skin as he bobbed and licked. The vibration tickled Jack’s entrance as Hades tongue probed inwards. The warm fingers around his cock were driving him mad, the coil pulling ever tighter.

Jack frantically tried to think of anything to pull his mind away from the dizzying pleasure coursing through him. He pulled himself up and tilted his head forward, gracefully sinking back down onto Hades’ twitching cock till it was settled in the back of this throat. Moaning he squeezed his husband’s balls hoping against hope that it would push him over the edge.

He felt the skin under his fingers tightening as Hades began to buck up into his mouth and the pleasure built to the point where it was all consuming. Jack nearly screamed as he came onto Hades’ chest, his own sounds drowned by the sudden influx of cum in his mouth. He swallowed hastily around the pulsing organ and drew back, coming down shaky from his rough orgasm.

He rolled off of Hades and flopped lazily onto the soft duvet. His husband shifted to lie beside him, their hair tangling and limbs finding purchase on soft skin. Hades leaned forward and kissed him.

“A tie, then.” He said merrily and Jack nodded in agreement.  
They lay in a hazy contentment for a while before Hades announced that, while he really would like to stay and fuck all day, he did have a few things to do in court. He pulled Jack out of bed and called to the guards to bring in the dressers.

A flash of panic went through Jack as he realized that within a few moments Bunny might be brought in to help with the morning routine. He grabbed the duvet from the bed and pulled it around himself in a semblance of decency. He had shared many things with Bunny over the years, but the exact details of his anatomy were not one of them.

Hades eyed him, amused, as the royal dressers flitted into the room, exclaiming that it was good to see Jack again. Bunny was still absent and Jack found himself relaxing as he was wrapped in layers of fine fabric that was belted at the waist.

At least, for now, his activities in the bedroom would be left to the pooka’s imagination.  
Hades was dressed in his court clothing, the traditional black Greek robe pulled tight over his muscled chest with the overcoat of purple hanging looser. The God’s hair had not been braided yet and fell over his broad shoulders, curling loosely on its journey down.

“I like this color on you,” Hades said, pulling at the scarlet sash, “You usually stick with blue”.

“I just wear what the dressers bring.” Jack said with a shrug. Hades turned to the taller of the women, whose face Jack couldn’t quite distinguish. It wasn’t that he wasn’t trying- it was as if he couldn’t focus on it. When he would turn away from her it was hard to remember what she looked like.  
There were many instances like this Jack realized. The guard in the hall. Many of the party guests. The two lackey’s in Pomponia’s bathhouse. 

Perhaps it was a side effect of Seraphina’s memory altering? He shivered, feeling a bit disconcerted and trying to think of happier things.

“Dress him in reds more often,” Hades commanded, “And let’s try some purple as well.” The two women bowed themselves out and Hades pulled Jack over to the table, where breakfast lavishly decorated the smooth marble.

Jack was ravenous and tried not to inhale his food. There was fruit and pastries and large glasses of creamy milk. Hades plucked grapes off the stem and chewed them slowly as he watched Jack, a small smirk twitching at his lips.

When they had finished Jack was escorted down the long hallways, the farewell kiss still lingering on his lips. There were different courts in Hades’ palace that were used for different things. The high throne room was reserved for the most important business and for the rare and elegant parties.

There was the high court room as well, where Hades held council each day and many lower court rooms that were managed by different important figures. Jack was taken to Persephone’s courtroom that was decorated with elaborate carvings. Many of them depicted queen, her long hair braided upwards in normal Greek fashion and fastened with stings of gold.

Her dress flowed from her and spread into delicate folds that ran along the wall to rest on the floor. She was extremely beautiful with large eyes, a sloping nose and angular lips, depicting an array of emotions. From what Jack could see, she seemed happiest in nature. The carving of the garden was where her chiseled lips turned upwards. On the wall facing the throne was a depiction of Hades and Persephone, locked together in a passionate embrace. 

This was where Jack spent many of his days. He didn’t have executive decision, but he was allowed to make suggestions for policy that would move to a higher courtroom. 

Jack’s schedule mainly consisted of determining if a mortal had disrespected the gods enough to receive punishment from the Erinyes. The three goddesses (if that word could be used for such strange women) were the complete opposite of Jack. Sure, they had a passion for what they did but instead of fun and snow they mostly just dealt with torture and revenge. They would travel between the mortal world and the Underworld to bring news of blasphemous mortals and determine punishments for offending the gods. Ironically, Jack spent many of his days putting out fires. Not literal ones, of course (except when the ladies brought their hell hounds with them). But the tempers of these vengeful spirits would put even Bunny to shame.

Sometimes Jack felt like he did a bit of good. The Erinyes were in charge of seeking justice for the really horrible things done on earth, like homicide or abandonment. Although giving someone on trial for murder a terminal illness seemed a bit… pointless? Weren’t they already destined for misery? Jack didn’t know as he had never actually been a criminal, although he would suppose that being determined guilty and finding out you have cancer would kind of make for a rough week.

He sighed as he settled himself at the head of the courtroom, the day’s proceedings already laid out of the table before him. The three chairs across from him were still empty, but he knew that he didn’t have long in his solitude. 

He glanced down at the swirling calligraphy describing the crimes that were up for sentencing today. Four murderers, sixteen liars and a crime against the gods. He wondered what that last one could be? The gods were already so testy.

Every year Aphrodite tried to have whichever big-haired swim-suit-clad plate-twirler who had won Miss America destroyed. Luckily, he had been able to redirect their untimely doom so far. 

His thoughts were interrupted as the guard announced the arrival of the councilwomen. The three Erinyes entered with their usual charm, faces scowling and hair writing as live snakes pushed from their scalps.  
Jack swallowed heavily before standing to greet the ladies who glared at him venomously.  
“It’s good to see you again.” He lied. Maybe this year they could get through these three months cordially.  
“Oh good,” Alecto’s voice dripped with heavy sarcasm, “the weak one’s back.” The other girls snickered, their heavy brows dipping to cover bloodshot eyes.  
Nevermind. This was going to be awful.

They set about getting through the cases, which basically entailed the ladies choosing horrible punishments for horrible crimes and Jack attempting to reason with them.

Tisiphone was especially passionate about the murderers. They took all morning fighting about the first two cases- a woman who had shot her ex-husband for abusing their children and a man who killed his boss during a mental breakdown. Tisiphone, whose deep green gown matched the slithering vipers on her head, loathed the idea of letting someone off because of ‘extenuating circumstances’. Their tones rose with each rebuttal till a guard came into the room to see if they were alright. Jack took a ragged breath and dismissed the guard, glaring at the goddess.

“I just don’t think it’s fair to punish her when he was the one beating the children.” He tried to speak civilly, but the arrogant flip of her twisting hair made his blood boil.

“She shot him four times. She could have disabled him and taken her children away, but instead she kept shooting until his face was a UNRECOGNIZABLE!” She screeched in retaliation.

“He was an evil man! Why are you trying to put her in an even worse situation!?”  
“Because she did something evil as well!” Alecto piped up and Jack shot her a look.  
“Her children are innocent! Are you trying to orphan them?”

“It’s better than living with their father’s murderer!” Her snakes hissed violently.  
“Do you know what happens to orphans? In Russia? Do you really not know?”  
“Oh we know full well, Winter Spirit.” The quietest of the three, Magaera chimed in thoughtfully, “Perhaps we can come to a gentler punishment than death.”

“That’s great, Megs!” Alecto was by far the most sarcastic of the group, “Take the side of the one spirit in the room that has zero experience with this kind of thing!”

“Are you kidding me?” Jack’s temper flared, “I’m sorry, but I’m pretty sure I have had experience. I’ve been babysitting you three for years now!” They all hissed in unison, but he wasn’t finished, “What you are suggesting is awful. You will ruin the lives that she fought to protect. The little girl will become a prostitute and the boys will have trouble finding jobs for their entire lives. That society hates orphans!”

“They will atone for the evil of their family.”  
“Their father’s evil was much worse!” He argued.  
“They will atone for the abuse and the murder.” Trisiphone answered calmly. Her eyes were flashing.

“That’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard!” He turned from them, but was met with the piercing gaze of Persephone. He looked away from the statue, forcing himself to turn back to the situation at hand. The Erinyes were staring at him in various states of anger. He returned to the table, “Can we come back to this later?”

“I actually think that it may be best to continue on another day. We have some duties to attend to in the fields.” Magaera gathered her sisters up and they bowed themselves out, the room growing eerily quiet without the constant slithering of snakeskin.

Jack sank down into his chair wearily as the guard announced his presence. The large man with the face of a crow and impressive armor covering him from shoulder to foot stood at attention and waited for him to respond. He waved a hand and the guard continued, brusquely.

“The King requires your presence in the high throne room.”

Jack nodded and pulled himself upwards. This day was already a stressful one, and he hoped that whatever the king needed that it would be quick. If he could he might be able to sneak away to the garden or to Pomponia’s.

He followed the muscled guard down the long hallways, marveling at the elaborate carvings that decorated the alcoves placed strategically to create strange shadows along the twisting path. The grinning faces of sculpted demons peered down from the lamp holders, their stone teeth jagged and malicious. He looked away, feeling uneasy. He should be used to the gruesome decorations by now, shouldn’t he?

The embellishments became less and less frequent as they grew closer to the high throne room, alcoves and carvings giving way to dark tapestries depicting Hades’ greatest moments.

Jack looked away from the elaborate embroidery as he was announced to the court. Swallowing hard he walked steadily through the door, careful not to make eye contact with anyone in the room but his husband. The King sat on his throne that was placed in the center of a long table.

Just like in the High Throne Room, a smaller throne was erected beside the gods’, the shadow of carved rock throwing the perch into darkness. Jack crossed and bowed before Hades who smiled at him warmly and beckoned for him to sit. He obeyed falling into place next to his king.

Hades took his hand and Jack glanced up at the strong profile before finally turning to the court. The session had resumed as he found his seat, the sentinel continuing his report in a monotonous voice. Apparently the fields were becoming too full. Jack barely listened as the leaders began to debate the problem. Hades stayed silent, listening to his advisors arguments before holding up a silencing hand.  
“We will simply have to train more mortals as torturers. If there is still not enough room we will begin remodeling.”

“Sire, if I may…” An older demon stood and bowed before the council, “The Rivers cannot support their own weight. If we dig the fields out any more we risk the chance of flooding.”

“I have already considered this and I believe that we should construct upwards, not outwards. Less of a field and more of a prison.” Hades replied calmly.  
“We are to follow the mortals love of tall buildings?” The sentinel joked half-serious.  
“They learned to build towers while trying to reach Olympus—is it so bad to understand their desire?” The hand holding his gripped a bit tighter and Jack glanced at his husband sideways. 

“No, your majesty. We will begin training immediately.” The sentinel bowed out and Hades commanded the rest to leave as well. As the councilmen packed up their scrolls and diagrams Hades turned to Jack, and whispered, “Why is this always so boring?”

Jack smiled, “You should have come with me this morning… it was far from boring.”  
“Fighting with Tisiphone? On your first day?” Hades ran a hand through his own curly bangs, pulling them free of the twisting crown upon his brow, “You truly out do yourself, Jackie.”

“Heh… it’s not all my fault!” Hades pulled him in for a quick kiss. The god stood, his lanky form sliding from the chair in a fluid motion. He offered a hand to Jack who took it.

“Where are we going?” Jack asked as he found himself secured with Hades’ arm around his shoulder.

“Where would you like to go?” Hades replied. Jack could see the twinkle in his eye that suggested what they would be doing whenever they arrived.  
“The gardens are nice this time of year.” He suggested and Hades pulled him closer as they walked.

“Then the gardens it will be.”  
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**Hades' Palace**  
Bunnymund moved through the hallway like a shadow, his ears trembling in anticipation of the slightest sound. He carried a tray of berries and bread and had been instructed to deliver them to Jack and Hades in the high court room. Unfortunately the guard had failed to mention that the closer he got to the courtrooms the more similar the hallways became. They were all slanting stone and cold embroidered tapestries. Bunny’s breath was visible in the dank air and he hurried, urged on by the chill.

The smell of vegetation was surprising in such an evil place, but he was almost certain that the scent invading his nostrils was that of leaves and dirt. Of life.  
He followed his nose towards the increasingly wonderful smell that reminded him so much of home. The tray lay forgotten as he reached the source, a brightly lit arboretum filled to the brim with beautiful flowers that reached imploringly to the light. 

He found himself pushing open the door, the metal hinges creaking softly as the warmth of the garden cascaded down upon him. He drank in the scents and sounds of the precious place, feeling more rejuvenated than he ever could with food and sleep. The rose bushes lining the path blocked the windows from the rest of the garden and he stepped through the doorway to explore more of the abnormally beautiful space.

There was the trill of birdsong and the trickle of water. He found himself unconsciously minding his step as if tiny eggs would manifest and run below his paws. The dirt molded around the pads of his feet and he welcomed the soft texture. The beauty of the garden rivaled that of his warren, each section designed for optimal display. Roses and petunias; Tulips and geraniums; Poppies and peonies; Twisting cherry blossom trees and soft willows.

He turned in circles, his eyes chasing the carefully sculpted paths of flowers as they radiated from the fountain like a mandala. Each one had a specific place, a perfect design.

A bench perched delicately by the fountain, it’s cushion a bright blue. It beckoned to him, he hadn’t slept yet and the stress of the last two days pulled on him. In this place he finally felt the knot of tension releasing from his belly and he sank gratefully down upon the soft cushion. It really was large enough to be a bed and Bunny was happy for it. He relaxed, not caring what was going to happen when he woke—wait! Were those voices?

He was up in a flash, his hind legs carrying him from eyesight. His nose twitched fiercely as his ears swiveled, searching for the source of the sound. There! From the opposite way he could hear a deep voice coming down the path. With a start he realized that he recognized Jack’s new smell- one still of snow, but now mingled with the dark smell of a demonic elk. 

He couldn’t see them- he was crouched tightly behind two rose bushes, though he could now hear them clearly. Hades led Jack to the center of the garden, their words being lost as they walked behind the fountain. When they reemerged Bunny struggled to block out what he was hearing. With dread he realized _what_ he might overhear and his heart began to beat faster in horror. 

His eyes cast around for another door—if he could find the way out then he could get the tray and report back to Toad or whoever, saying that Jack and Hades were not in the court room. 

Jack’s laugh rang out in the sunshine and Bunny clenched his teeth together. Wasn’t he so unhappy? Had those days of moping around the Pole been an act? Did he not want them to know how much he enjoyed it?

Silently he slunk from bush to bush, pushing his way up against the windows, his ears ringing and face flushed with anger. 

Had his rescue plan been for nothing? Had he risked his life for someone who _wanted_ to be here? He nearly spat, his tongue suddenly tasting of bile. 

The echoing laughter of the youngest guardian sang through the flowers, the beauty of both just a mere deception.  
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**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've had quite a month. There was a lot of personal tragedy and I didn't get this chapter finished until much later than planned. This, of course, put my beta behind as well. On top of that it's a really freakin long chapter.
> 
> P.S. Jess- if you're reading this you should totally get a tumblr so I can promote you as such a WONDERFUL beta! She's been so patient with me especially when I make last minute changes and ask for her opinion!
> 
> Anyway- if you guys wouldn't mind reviewing I would love that. I want to know about all of your conspiracies and how you think it's going so far. Good, Bad, Ugly- give it to me!
> 
> ALSO I had someone say that they were interesting in drawing fanart! It's so flattering and I would LOVE it if you guys want to do that! Send me the link and I'll promote you on my blog!!


	6. Gratification

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "He felt rope around him, the intricate knots creaking as he moved, though as he glanced down, past Hades arms, he saw none. He met the dark eyes above with confusion and fear, and saw the god lean down to kiss him."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> {I was tempted to entitle this chapter V-Card, but I didn’t because we’re all sophisticated here….right?  
> Anywho- guess who’s about to pop his demon cherry?  
> And also you conspiracy theorists are about to flip the lid after this chapter. Bring. It. On.}
> 
> Trigger Warning *spoilers*: Violence, Asphyxiation play and allusion to rape. Also Hades sounds like Umbridge at one point and I laugh every time.

**Nicholas St. North’s Private Offices, The North Pole**

The burly figure draped in red sat behind the enormous wooden workstation, his wizened brow furrowed in concentration. The block ice upon the weathered surface lay still and unblemished as the man above it pondered. The intricate cogs and gears that hid behind bright blue eyes were working at a furious pace, though the carving at hand was not the puzzle that they contemplated.

It went without saying that North had spent the better part of the last few days in a figurative and literal slump. The elves had noticed and their normal convention of rambunctiousness had transformed into a general upheaval; the yeti’s being forced to stop many a rebellion, the largest of which resulted in needing four of the industrial-sized ovens replaced. 

For now, the guardians were realizing just how long one summer could actually be. It had been two sunrises since Jack and Bunny had disappeared into the vast unknown that was the underworld. It was extremely frustrating to know exactly where your loved ones were, but to have no influence in their wellbeing. 

North sat stoically, his eyes tracing patterns of melting drops sliding down the icy slab to leave murky puddles upon the wooden surface. His carving tools lay to the side, and while he had had every intention of using them when he began, upon setting to his task he found that his rich pool of imagination had run dry.  
Sighing, he rubbed his weary eyes and leaned back into the comfort of his favorite chair. With a heavy heart he allowed himself to wallow in the fear that he had pushed away for the longest two days of his life. 

_What if they never returned?_

Jack, with his endless smile and quick wit. The boy was still so young and had so much to learn. They were going to start weaning him off of that bloody stick soon, so he could use his powers more independently. He had hoped that Jack’s talent for elemental modification might flourish into other types of magic. North had been excited at the opportunity to instill some of the knowledge that Ombric had given him so long ago. 

And Bunny… sweet, overbearing Aster. North’s heart clenched again as his thoughts turned to his long time friend. There were so many moments when he should have sat the pooka down and told him what was what. How much he meant to them. To all of them. How much his sacrifice and struggle meant to the world. To really let the rabbit know how much he cared about him. But it had always seemed like there would be a tomorrow in which to say such heartfelt things. 

He wasn’t the only one keeping things to himself. He had seen the way that Aster looked at Jack. The old pooka would deny it till the sky turned green, but the old fool was slowly but surely falling in love with that little winter spirit. He had teased him about it before, but the rabbit was quick to dissuade such ‘ass-hattery’.

 _If they stick together_ , North reassured himself, _they’ll get through this._

Still, his heart felt heavy as he watched the ice fade into the whorls and grooves of the ancient oak.  
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**The Garden, Hades’ Palace.**

Jack fell breathless upon a stone bench, his landing cushioned by the long arms around him. His laughter echoed through the arching skylights, and though artificial, the sunlight dappling upon his forehead felt warm and real. 

Hades was before him, the gods’ hair framing his face as he leaned down for a kiss. Jack smiled into his, his tongue already darting out to trace the edge of the bottom lip before him. Hades pulled away to rain kisses down upon Jack’s face, first the corner of his mouth, then the tip of his nose, over his white eyelashes and against the side of his ear and down to his neck.  
Jack arched into the touch, his eyes fluttering shut in the bright sunlight. He felt giddy, his body heating up in the environment and the situation.

Hades pulled and sucked on his earlobe, eliciting _coveted_ moans from Jack’s sweet mouth. The god hesitated and pulled back, his eyes wandering to the far edge of the courtyard. Jack took the opportunity to place a kiss to the side of his husband neck.

Without removing his lips he whispered, “What is it?”  
Hades turned back to him and in one motion had pulled Jack up, much to the annoyance of the boy. 

“Dance with me?” The god asked and Jack rolled his eyes.  
“There’s no music.” He replied, but took the god’s outstretched hand.

“Then we’ll make some.” He pulled Jack close and the spirit felt the hard heat of his lover’s erection pressing heavily into his hip. Their lips met with feverous passion and Jack let himself be guided as Hades spun him around. He still felt a bit silly dancing without any music, but the lack of air and the spinning soon made it hard to concentrate on anything, much less the small aesthetics of the situation. 

He pushed Hades hair from his broad shoulders, entwining his fingers in the silky locks as they rocked two and fro, their tongues dancing more intricately than their feet. Jack moaned as Hades’ hand snaked around his body to hoist him up into his lover’s arms.  
Jack wrapped his knees around the man’s waist, his tunic riding up and bunching at his hips. He could feel Hades’ cock against his own, through the fabric, and it drove him wild with need.  
He rutted against the heat, moaning as Hades’ tongue grazed the roof of his mouth. The god moved down once again to suck upon his neck, the pain that blossomed from the spot left Jack gasping and reeling.  
He was pushed back against a stone figure and scrambled to find purchase. He was sitting on the edge of the fountain, the water splashing merrily out and onto his tunic.

Hades was still upon his neck.  
“If you ever want to stop the word we always use is Pompeii.” The god’s husky voice affirmed his need. 

“We’re gonna need a safe word?” Jack answered breathlessly.  
Hades grinned and moved to kiss Jack again, “Yes, a safe word works wonders. You become a moaning mess when my cock is buried inside of you and sometimes you moan ‘no’ when you mean ‘more’ and then get mad when I stop. Now say it: _Pompeii_ ” 

Jack was sure his face was no longer the light gray, but instead a deep, deep red. “Po-pompeii.” He stuttered out as his lips were caught in a fiery kiss and Hades was upon him.  


They tumbled head over heels into the fountain, their forms a billowing mass of translucent fabric and tangled limbs. 

Jack broke the surface, gasping and laughing and Hades soon followed, his lips finding purchase on Jack’s smile. Hades waded through the waist deep water, till he found they were back at the edge.  
The stone was smooth and cool; Jack arched back as he was placed upon it, his wet hair sticking to flush cheeks. Hades pulled at the sash around Jack’s waist, his fingers working deftly to rid his lover of the cumbersome clothes.

Jack felt embarrassment shoot through him and glanced around, “C-can we do this here?”  
Hades laughed, “You’re asking that now? Dearest if we couldn’t do it here we wouldn’t be here.” He moved to take one of Jack’s pert nipples into his mouth, his hot tongue laving over the quivering bud. Jack gasped and panted as the god twisted and licked. 

Jack’s shaking fingers found Hades’ own tunic and pushed aside the layers to reveal rippling muscles. The god shrugged out of the top layers, the robe billowing out into the water. The belt at his hip kept the rest intact and he moved to pull it away. 

“Let me.” Jack said and guided the God to the edge of the water. Hades sat on the edge and Jack worked to untie the waterlogged fabric. Finally with and exasperated sigh he gave in, “So much for me trying to be sexy.”

Hades laughed again, his hands finding both sides of Jack’s pouting face, “You’re always sexy to me.” He said. With one hand he pulled Jack in for a kiss and with the other made quick work of the belt. Jack took the opportunity to push his hand beneath the god’s interlacing fabric and trace the edge of the straining cock beneath. Hades moaned into the kiss and bit the very edge of Jack’s upper lip playfully.  
“Oh, Jackie. Quit teasing.” Jack smiled at the pet name and grasped his lover’s erection fully, stroking it deftly. Hades threw his head back and moaned the folds of the garment slipping from around Jack’s hand and allowing him full access to the god’s member. He licked the underside of the leaking head as he pumped the hot organ beneath his fingers. 

_Gods let me get this right._ He wanted Hades to be happy. Happy Hades was probably better than vengeful Hades. If any of his gut feelings were to be trusted he needed this guy on his side if he was going to get any favors in this place. And… if he could get some pleasure out of it—who was to say it was all bad?

By the sounds Hades was making he was giving the god plenty of pleasure. He spun his tongue around the head and sank down quickly, filling his mouth and pumping the extra length with his hand. Sucking hard he ran his free hand up the god’s quivering stomach, pressing gently enough to tickle. Hades’ hands were in his hair, pulling him from the twitching cock. 

“Too good, Jackie… you’re too good at that… fer your own good…” The god panted as he pulled Jack up to straddle his hips. Their erections brushed each other and Jack let out a moan. It was bad enough having one sex organ, but with two he felt like his entire core was burning. He lapped at Hades’ collar bone, grinding his hips forward. 

“Please…” he begged, though for what he really had no way to express. He hoped that Hades would be able to translate his gripping fingers and straining hips as a sign to get this show on the road.  
The god spread his legs a little further, pulling at the small of Jack’s back until he was further up on his knees, the slick curve of his quim directly over the source of fire below him. 

“This is going to hurt.” Hades whispered, “Do you remember our safe word?”

“Oh, just do it already.” Jack begged, his mouth mere centimeters from Hades’.  
The god lowered him down slowly, the wide head making it’s way past the wet folds.  
Jack sucked in a breath at the hot presence teasing just inside his body. He tried to force his hips down to take in the impressive girth, but Hades controlled his descent entirely.  
The pressure was immense, but Jack was still not feeling much pain. The god’s lips were like fire upon his and he hissed as his hips were pulled up to relieve his body of the thing it craved. Jack growled he was lowered again, pushing more of the god’s length into his folds. This time there was a spark of pain mixed with the pleasure; the pressure to his seal increased, but was bearable. He moaned as Hades’ cock tugged at the ever-widening barrier.  
Finally it broke, the pain spiking up his spine and emerging from his mouth in a strangled cry.

 _“There we go.”_ Hades said as Jack gasped against his mouth, “now, let’s have some fun.”

Jack wasn’t sure if he was ready for any fun, the burning pain still making itself very apparent, but as Hades took Jack’s erection into his warm hand, Jack’s moans turned from agony to gratification. Hades began to move, thrusting up into the heat that welcomed him.

Their kisses swiftly turned into gasping into each other’s mouth, the motion of their bodies increasing with the sounds of their exhalations.  
Jack felt his climax coming suddenly, the pressure around the pulsing organ inside of him flourishing tenfold. He felt like he was burning hot and icy cold all at once and then he was gone, his muscles clenching around the cock buried deep inside of him. He faintly understood Hades’ cry of ecstasy as a sign of his husbands’ completion. 

As his vision returned he found himself gasping into his husbands panting mouth, their heated breath mixing as they shook with aftershocks. Their stomachs were painted with Jack’s seed, and he felt sticky and sleepy. 

Hades pulled Jack from him and held him firmly as the boy got his legs back under him. The water that enveloped his lower limbs was soothing and he instantly splashed some onto his stomach, cleaning himself as Hades joined him. Their lips met once again and Jack stretched on tiptoes to pull his arms around his lovers’ neck. He smiled into the kiss feeling a strange euphoria wash over him. 

“You were amazing, love.” Hades kissed his temple and stroked his shaking back. Jack smiled into the warm collarbone of his husband, the water stilling around their panting forms. 

“I don’t know about amazing… I’m still pretty new to this.” He admitted and Hades laughed into his hair.

“You did better than most years.”  
Jack met his eyes, his brows quirked, “What does that mean?”  
“I guess it all depends on how much you’ve remembered year to year. Sometimes you act like we’re complete strangers. I’m glad that you’ve let yourself be intimate with me so soon.”  
Jack kept his thoughts to himself. He didn’t want to offend, and honestly he didn’t really want to know about how he acted in the past. It was like talking about someone else entirely.

“Well, I guess I’ve just recovered some good memories…” He leaned up to pull Hades into a kiss and then made his way to the edge of the fountain in search of his robes. 

Hades slogged his out from under the fountains deluge and wrung it out.

“Are you feeling alright?” Hades asked laying his tunic over the many statues in the garden to dry. He sat on a stone bench and motioned for Jack to join him. The boy did, contemplating his answer carefully.

“I just… I just feel kind of weird. I don’t really act this way around anyone else…”

“Ha! I guess I should be grateful for your loyalty.” Hades wrapped his arms around Jack and pulled him to his side, “I know it’s a bit frustrating to not remember…us… but I think in the next few days you should understand some more. I think we’re happy. Or at least I’m happy, and I hope you are too.”

“Thanks” Jack mumbled and pressed his cheek to the gods’ hard chest.

 _Just give it a few days_ he thought _you’ll remember._

_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-  
 **Hades’ Palace**

The time passed quickly. Jack kept himself busy and was surprised at how adept he was to adjusting so quickly to the strange schedule. It was like his body remembered the long days in court and the heated encounters at night. He fell into a rhythm. Breakfast would be brought before he would wake and Hades often found time in the morning to explore Jack’s flexibility before they ate.

Then it was off to court, where his voice and his patience would be tested through hours of yelling. He would have dinner with Hades and most of the time they would make their way to Pomponia’s for a bath before retiring to their quarters.  
The only thing keeping Jack from going completely crazy with worry was Pomponia herself. She was keeping tabs on Bunny and so far everything was going smoothly. Jack was actually surprised at how little he saw the rabbit. He didn’t try to avoid him, but it seemed like the cleaning staff was always just out of eyeshot whenever he was around.

 _It’s a good thing,_ Jack reasoned with himself, _I know he’s fine and it’s better if we’re not seen together._  
The collar changed Bunny’s appearance and he blended into the hoards of demon servants easier, though his dark fur and large ears did make it easier to spot. The demon DNA didn’t seem to affect him too much, the horns that sprouted from just under his ears twisted back around like those of a reindeer, but weren’t very large. The Pooka’s fur had darkened and his eyes would change to black when he was particularly stressed, just like any of the demons.  
The first time Jack had seen Bunny he had frozen, not sure what to make of the twisting horns and dark eyes. He supposed that this was how Bunny saw him now—a strange impersonation of the one he knew before.

For Aster, the last week had been absolute hell (which was to be expected when enslaved _in_ hell). For days the rabbit had worked tirelessly to avoid punishment and learn all that was required of him. Everyone threatened him with the fields, but he had learned little about them. All he really knew is that no one wanted to go there. Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad? He couldn’t see how his predicament could get much worse.  
He would be woken from his few hours of sleep by the gruff toad demon (whom he had learned was called Dyll) and dragged down to the kitchen. The morning always started by carrying breakfast into Jack’s room and attempting not to stare as the king carded his fingers through the sleeping spirits hair, feeling the man’s eyes burning into him. Bunny tried not to glare, though contempt boiled under his skin.

Once that was done he was required to report to the large wash room, where all of the castles linens were cleaned daily. There were seven floors in the palace with an array of guests, 642 servants, 2 legions of guards and an elite command squad that required their clothes, bedding and uniforms washed.  
The amount of fabric to be scrubbed every morning was vast and many of the servants found themselves waist deep in the tall tubs, using maneuverable washboards to mash out any stain. 

After a few hours of scrubbing, Dyll would come and get him for lunch. He was given a small bowl of gruel and a tin of water. Knuckles burning and fur slowly drying in mats he would slurp down the sorry excuse for a meal before being led down another seemingly endless corridor.  
Each afternoon was different. Their duties changed each day based on what needed to be done. Most often he found himself deep cleaning Hades bedchamber, placing fresh linens on the couch and restocking the oil in the lanterns.

One day Dyll sent him to gather roses from the garden, a present for the queen. He made sure to select the whitest roses he could find, their color matching Jacks hair almost perfectly.  
He took his sweet time, knowing that Dyll would have some other mundane task for him. He enjoyed the sunlight and the birdsong. It was the first time in days that he allowed himself to relax. The last time he had been in the garden… he tried not to think about it. 

He would enjoy the small moments. The quiet in the servants quarters just before dawn. The times that he was given a paintbrush and asked to retouch a statues color. The still moments in the garden. The small glances of Jack as the winter spirit walked down the corridor.  
For now that was all he had.  
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 **Punjam Hy Loo, Asia**  
“It’s been a week! Why can’t anyone give us a straight answer!?” Tooth’s voice was shrill.  
“I’ve been in contact with Hermes. He has to wait until he has an actual message for the Underworld, otherwise it will look suspicious for him to just show up.” Seraphina was trying to be patient, but the guardians were on her last nerve.

“Can he not make up message? Ask for a report? Send a ‘thinking of you’ card?” North offered.

“Not. without. raising. suspicion.” She emphasized each word as she rounded on the large man, her dark hair whipping around her face, “It doesn’t work like that. There would need to be official correspondence for him to go down there. And the other gods don’t associate with him very much.”

Sandy waved to her and pulled her attention from the Russian. He moved his hands in a dizzying motion and his sand began to form elaborate pictures. First a small Seraphina then a picture of an angry king. They began to argue emphatically, their small golden arms flailing. 

“Do you want me to go to him myself?” She asked and he nodded. She sighed.  
“I wish it were that easy. I would need an immense influx of souls going to the underworld to create a rift large enough to sneak in without an invitation. And no, before you ask, he’s not going to give me an invitation!”

The guardians looked dejected. Seraphina guided them all back to the sitting area. She rekindled the fire as she thought about her answer.  
“Look, I am trying to sort all of this out. Hopefully your friend is still alive. I don’t know how Hades would react in a situation like this. Hopefully he’s just got him locked up and will release him with Jack.”

“But what if he doesn’t?” Tooth asked her eyes glossy bright with unshed tears. North put a large arm around her and pulled her into his side.  
“Then, we’ll have to make a formal appeal to Zeus. If we can make a convincing case then he may be able to sway Hades’ hand. But we have to wait.” 

She took all of them in, each guardian ensnared with sorrow. Silent golden tears traced the edges of the sandman’s face and weren’t wiped away, but fell and collected on his knees. 

She slowly stood and walked to the large open windows.  
“I will let you know if anything changes. All we can do is wait and hope that Hermes will answer us soon.”  
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 **The Royal Chambers, Hades’ Palace**  
Jack sat, halfway hidden in the large cushions of the velvet couch, flipping through the day’s itinerary. It looked to be a short day- only four cases to be bickered about and he relished in the idea of having the afternoon off. Perhaps he could convince Hades to leave court as well…

The aforementioned husband was currently outside yelling at whomever had forgotten breakfast. Jack could tell from the weak protests and humble apologies that the guard, who was currently under the brunt of Hades’ anger, actually had nothing to do with breakfast or the delivery of it, but was being blamed.

With a sigh he stood and made his way out of the room, wrapping the long purple robe around him. He had requested one after he realized that Hades enjoyed sleeping skin to skin and would breakfast that way as well. It made him feel safer to know that the only one seeing him completely bare was his husband.

He took his Hades’ arm quietly and the god immediately stopped his raging. He turned to look at Jack questioningly; his hair tangled and face red.  
“Come inside.” Jack said and tugged at him gently, “It’ll be here soon.”  
The guard bowed hastily and nearly sprinted from their presence as Hades grumbled under his breath.  
Jack led him back to the couch and unceremoniously pushed him down upon the soft cushions. Hades huffed and shot a mock glare at Jack who stuck his tongue out and went to fetch their brush from the armoire. 

He returned to Hades and straddled his lap.  
“You don’t have to do that.” Hades said as Jack began to run the coarse bristles through his tangled black curls.

“Yes, I do. You have sex hair and it’s embarrassing.”  
“Oh it’s embarrassing for others to know how much I enjoy you?” Hades hands roved over Jack’s sides, causing the younger to squirm. Jack yanked at a particularily stubborn curl. 

“Actually, yes.” Jack gasped as Hades parted his robe, taking one of his nipples into his mouth. He continued to brush Hades’ hair as the man beneath him sucked and licked at his chest. It wasn’t the strangest way Hades had asked for sex, but Jack swatted at him when he moved his head to Jack’s neck.

“Stop. Let me finish this.”  
“I’d rather finish you.” Hades’ smirk was apparent in his tone and he punctuated the sentence by running his hot tongue just under the curve of the spirit’s ear.

“You have got to stop with those silly pick up lines.” Jack said, still attempting to run the brush through the mass of hair before his face. 

“Mmmmmm” Hades murmured into the hollow of Jack’s throat, “But from the looks of it they still work…” His fingers traveled from Jack’s hips to the partly erect cock hiding just below purple linen. 

“Ugh!” Jack threw the brush across to the bed, “I give up!” He laughed as Hades’ eyes lit up and took the gods lips onto his own.  
It was at that moment that a hasty knock on the door and Jack looked up just in time to see a very bedraggled pooka enter the room with the tray. Jack scrambled away from Hades, but he knew that Bunny had seen everything. His cheeks were burning as the rabbit hurriedly placed the tray down on the table and made to leave.

“Wait.” Hades said calmly. He had not even turned to see Bunny enter the room. Jack glanced up through his bangs and saw the pooka turn from the door.

“Why were you not here before Jack awoke?”

“Ah’m sorry sir. I was told ta go ta the wash room immediately this morning.” Was Bunny’s voice always this strained or was it just Jack’s paranoid mind?  
“Tell me rabbit, who brings breakfast to us every morning?”

There was a pause, “I do, sir.”  
“And if you don’t deliver it, who does?”  
“I don’t know, sir.” Bunny answered truthfully. Hades stood and Jack reached out to stop him, but his shaking fingers did little to hinder the god.  
“Then why did you think that it would be done if you didn’t do it.”

“I don’t _know_ , sir.”  
“You… don’t know.” Hades voice became deeper as he advanced upon Bunny. Jack jumped up to follow him as he towered over the Pooka. 

“You have done nothing but sub-par work since you got here and you forget the one thing that you have been asked to do every morning!? Am I understanding the situation right?”

“I didn’t mean ta--”  
Hades interrupted, “OH, _OF COURSE_ YOU DIDN’T MEAN TO! I’M SURE IT WAS _SOMEONE ELSE’S FAULT_!”

Bunny cowered. Jack had never seen the Pooka cower and he instinctively got between them. He pushed upon Hades chest and pleaded for him to let it go, but the god’s eyes were trained on the shaking rabbit.

“You had better not forget again, _rabbit_. I am already displeased with your service and any other misstep will result in an immediate trip to the fields. Do you understand me!?”  
Bunny must have nodded, but Jack had his face buried in Hades’ chest, praying that it would end soon.  
“Now, _get out_.” Bunny’s claws scraped across the ground as he bowed himself out and Jack felt the tension leave the room.  
“Useless, half breed.” Hades moved over to the table and sat heavily in one of the chairs.

Jack stood where he had rooted himself, shaking and fighting back tears.  
“Come and sit, love. Breakfast is here, finally.” The King’s falsely cheery voice called to him. Hades was pouring them both steaming cups of tea, but Jack refused to turn around; his face betraying his shame and fear.

“Jack…” Hades voice was less boisterous this time, his ill attempt at normalcy fading, “I did not mean to upset you.”

“W-why did you yell at him?” Jack finally choked out, his voice heavy with tears.  
Hades stood and crossed to him, but Jack turned from those worried eyes.  
“Because he made a mistake. I yell at all the servants. They need to remember that we are not just a list of chores for them to take care of.”

“But there was a miscommunication. He told you- he had been told to go—“  
Hades interrupted again, “The fact remains that he did not check to make sure we were taken care of. We should be his top priority, not the laundry.” Hades pulled Jack into an embrace that was not returned. Jack stood shaking with unshed tears, but refused to cry openly in front of Hades. It would reveal too much.

“I just don’t know why you expect him to be perfect—it’s his first week.”  
“I don’t expect him to be perfect, I expect him to do his job—“

Jack backed up, “But his job is apparently to be perfect! So what—he didn’t bring us a tray of fruit on time!? What does it matter? If you weren’t so busy yelling at people we might have had a very pleasant morning!”  
“I need to keep my subjects in line.”  
“By fearing you?”  
“By respecting me!”  
 _“Respect is reflected, not demanded!”_ Jack hissed before he could control his quick tongue. Hades towered over him and Jack cringed at the fire in the king’s eyes. Hades was breathing harshly through his nostrils, the rims flaring like a cobra’s hood.

“I’m going to court.” Jack said before Hades could give fuel to the fire, “We’ll talk later.”  
He turned to stride out of the room, not caring if he spent the whole day in his robe and hungry, but was grabbed by the back of the arms before he could make it through the door.  
He cried out, kicking as he was dragged across the room and tossed haphazardly upon the bed. Hades grunted as he pulled himself up on top of Jack, his hot breath washing over the boys face.

Jack pushed against Hades chest, his legs twisting for freedom. The god’s grip on his arms hurt and Jack found his gaze locked onto Hades dark eyes. The god leaned down and sucked _hard_ at a spot on Jack collarbone, the boy gasping at the painful sensation.  
Jack cried out as Hades pulled his arms up over his head, pinning them with one strong hand. He bucked up into Hades hips, feeling the hot erection waiting there for him and wanting more than anything to be free. 

“Pompeii!” he growled through gritted teeth, “Pompeii, Pompeii, _Pompeii_!”

Hades laughed darkly and pulled up from Jack’s collar, “Do you think we’re playing?” Jack’s heart beat sped up as Hades pulled the belt from Jack’s robe up to secure his hands to the bedpost. Jack kicked furiously, _“You said it was a safeword!”_

“Yes, and usually a safeword is used when both parties want to stay safe.” Hades’ grin was feral, his fingers already making quick work at ripping away the thin fabric of Jack’s robe.  
He tossed the purple swatches to the side; their tattered remains floating to the ground as if through water. He leaned down so that his lips were mere centimeters from Jack’s.

“But the problem with that, Jackie, is that I don’t want you _safe_ right now.”

Jack’s cry was muffled through the rough crash of their lips, his fingers scrabbling against the tight knots above his head. He twisted; fighting for leverage. Hades tongue was all over him, upon his lips, down his jawline on the pulsing vein on his neck. He gasped as Hades bit down, just enough pressure for pain, but not enough to break the skin.

“Stop! _Please… please stop!”_ Jack didn’t know what else to do. He was utterly powerless as the god had his way with him, _“Please—this isn’t like you! Please stop!”_

“Getting a bit repetitive, aren’t we?” Hades pulled back and scrutinized the gasping boy, “I know just the thing to fix that.”  
His fingers were around Jack’s throat before he had time to process the words, his eyes flying wide with shock. He struggled feeling the heavy weight of the hands upon his windpipe, blocking off all air. 

He tried to scream, the guard must be in the hallway, but no air could make it out either. He bucked and struggled as Hades stared, eyes wide and hungry. He felt tears welling up in his eyes as his vision darkened. 

Just as his eyes rolled back into his head the horrible pressure was removed. Jack choked and gagged, pulling deep lungfuls of air into his stinging chest. Hades had leaned back, his face a mask of indifference. Jack stared up at him with teary eyes, his throat burning and stomach sick.

 _“Shhhhh….”_ Hades breathed and suddenly the room changed. Jack blinked in horror and multiple Hades stared down at him. He shook his head trying to banish the hallucinations.

“Please” he began weakly, but the fire jumped back into his husbands eyes and those long fingers found purchase upon his throat once again. Jack choked, his voice cutting off as Hades pressed further down than before. Black dots filled his vision and he felt his eyelids fluttering as his lungs screamed for air.

“Not yet?” He heard Hades mutter, “not remembering anything yet?”  
The pressure was gone and Jack struggled for air, fighting the darkness that threatened to swallow him.  
The hands returned and Jack’s tears were renewed. He tried to scream, but failed. He shut his eyes and Hades let up. He took in deep shuddering breaths and tried to call out to the guards, but his air was once again cut off. Hades’ hot breath was by his ear,  
“Don’t you dare try to call them again, you worthless wretch. Do you not think they’re used to your cries?” 

Jack sobbed silently, feeling unconsciousness rush up again. This time though he could hear a volley of whip cracks. He opened his eyes, but couldn’t find the source of the noise. Hades’ fingers were removed yet again and he struggled for breath.

 _Crack!_  
 _A voice cried out in the room!_  
 _Crack!_  
 _‘Please stop!’_  
 _Crack!_  
 _‘Master, please!’_  
Jack blinked rapidly and choked out, “who… who _is_ that?”

Hades face twisted into a sinister grin, “Finally remembering something? It normally comes to violence before you do…”  
The hands were upon his throat again, constraining like a python.  
More voices tore through his consciousness; cries for help, laughter, the sound of someone sobbing.

He felt rope around him, the intricate knots creaking as he moved, though as he glanced down, past Hades arms, he saw none. He met the dark eyes above with confusion and fear, and saw the god lean down to kiss him.

Jack bit him.

The king ripped his lip from between Jack’s teeth and growled, doubling his efforts and the sprite struggled for air.  
 _A scene unfolded in front of his darkening vision: he and Hades locked together in ecstasy, his hands tied behind his back with a series of intricate knots.  
It changed, Hades and he running through the halls of the palace, robes billowing behind them and laughing at the appalled hand servants’ faces. _

_It changed, Hades pulling at a chain attached to his collar—Jacks face a bloody mess._

_It changed, falling into the fountain a week ago—the day Hades took his virginity again._

_It changed, scrabbling against a tiled floor, Hades face buried in his—_  
 _It changed, screaming as he came; his mouth bound with a gag and feet pulled apart with rope._  
 _It changed, Hades’ fingers around his throat. Around his throat. Around his throat._  
 _It changed—_

**“JACK!”**  
The hands were not around his throat, but instead shaking him awake. The worried eyes above him were the first things he focused on. Jack pulled away his fingers flying to his neck.

“Jack? Oh thank goodness! You wouldn’t wake up!” Hades sounded genuinely concerned. Jack gasped, unable to form words. His hands weren’t tied. He was under the covers. Breakfast was sitting on the table. Tall glasses of milk and a plate of pastries.  
Hades- his hair knotted messily from their romp in bed the previous night. Jack backed away from him, his fingers still feeling at the skin on his throat.

“Jack… what’s wrong? You were thrashing…”  
“Fruit… and tea…” Jack’s brain fought to gain understanding of the situation.  
“What?” Hades’ brow knit in confusion, “Jack, what are—“  
“It was fruit and tea. Bunny brought us fruit and tea for breakfast.” Jack stared back at the pastries sitting innocently on the table.

“Jackie… I think you were having a nightmare. Are you okay?” Jack bristled as Hades ran a hand through his white locks.

He turned back to Hades and saw confusion and sadness there, but no guilt. His heart began to return to a normal pace and he pulled his hands from his throat, swallowing painfully around the lump that was quickly forming there. 

“I- I’m fine.” He lied, but his husband was having none of it. He pulled Jack into his embrace, feeling the younger shake with sobs. Jack’s body refused to relax, his shoulders fitting stiffly into Hades’ arms. 

“Do you want to talk about it?” The gods voice was soft and sweet. Jack shook his head. He was so confused. What the hell was happening?  
Was that a memory resurfacing? But Bunny was in it.

He pulled himself from Hades and reached for his robe. He couldn’t find it. It had been on the bedpost from the night before, but was gone. He felt his stomach clench painfully as fresh tears made tracks down his face.

“Where’s my robe?” Jack asked, his heart hammering.  
“The servant took it—it was soiled.” The answer seemed too rehearsed… too perfectly executed. Jack turned back to Hades, feeling as though his guts would come spilling out. 

It couldn’t have been real, right? He whirled to the armoire his eyes scanning his reflection for any sign of violence. There was a hickey that was about three days old on his hip and his arm had a scratch that he was sure he had acquired the night before, but there was no sign of anything…else. Hades’ worried eyes met his own in the mirror and he looked away, wiping shed tears from his jawline. He hurried around the room, his stomach cramping uncomfortably. Hades pulled himself from bed and followed him.

“What are you looking for?”

 _“Something to wear!”_ Jack nearly screeched, flipping cushions off of the couch. He had to leave. He had to get out of that room.

“The dressers will be here soon, Jack. Come have some breakfast—you’ll feel better.”  
Jack shook his head and searched through the bedding frantically. Surely there had to be something he could wear?

“Jack… it was just a nightmare.”  
 _“IT WASN’T JUST A NIGHTMARE!”_ Jack seethed; he tasted bile at the back of his throat and fought back a gag. He had to get away.

“Okay… okay. You’ll be okay…” Hades was moving to embrace him again and he pulled away, running to the god’s side of the bed. 

_“Stay away!”_ He yelled, feeling fresh tears well up.  
“Jack… I don’t know—“

 _“I don’t know either!”_ Jack cried, pulling a sheet from the bed, _“I need to leave. I’ll be back later.”_ He backed away from Hades, holding his gaze until he reached the door. He pulled the heavy wood open as he draped the sheet around himself, tumbling out of the room. In the hallway he took one look at the guard and sprinted in the other direction.

He didn’t know how long he had run; sheet billowing, feet slamming into cold stone and face wet with unbidden tears.

All those weeks of feeling insecure. All those times that he’d kept his secret. All that worrying….  
It hadn’t all been because of nothing.  
_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-

 **The Royal Gardens, Hades’ Palace**  
The twisted vines concealed all but the tattered corner of a dirt stained sheet. Bunny sat, quietly staring; not wanting to disturb the shaking form of his friend. He knew that Jack could see him—he had made sure to be in eyesight and earshot, but didn’t approach. The stink of fear was heavy in the air and he listened to Jacks’ ragged breath from within the roses.

Inhaling slowly, he inched his way towards the boy. After the first few attempts at getting near had ended with Jack screaming for him to leave, he decided to take a slower approach. 

This time the boy allowed him to perch just outside the bush, his nose twitching to take in the entire story. There was sweat, burdened with despair and panic. He smelled the tangy stench of blood, but not much of it; probably a result of pushing past the thorns to find a safe haven. 

There was a darker smell that clung to Jack’s skin, and Bunny huffed as he recognized it as the smell he associated with the king. Arousal and smoke and something else that he could only describe as greed. He wrinkled his nose. Jack shouldn’t smell like this. The boy should smell like hot chocolate and fresh snow and peppermints and paint from the tie-dye river.  
He shouldn’t be drawn into himself, crying in a bush as his husband carried on like nothing was wrong.  
Well, Jack shouldn’t even be in this situation in the first place. He had never known Jack to be one to be submissive, the spirits strong personality defying any force that tried to contain him. But here he was, completely thrown by a situation that was far too austere for any one person to be asked to handle.

He pushed his anger at the injustice of it all deep inside of himself; Jack needed calm not vengeance.  
“Jack?” The boy didn’t respond, “Jack, will ya come out and talk?”  
There was a flash of blue as the boys’ eyes flicked up to meet his, but Jack buried his head in his arms. 

“Ya can tell me what’s wrong. Ya know me.”  
Jack shook his head furiously and Bunny sighed.  
“Look… I know things aren’t going the way any of us want… we just need ta hang in there.”

Jack mumbled something into his sheet, the fabric muffling the words.  
“I can’t understand ya, Jackie.”

 _“Don’t call me that!”_ Jack’s hissed, dangerously low and Bunny’s ears pulled back in concern. The winter sprite broke into a sob and he felt concern renew its clench on his heart.

“Come out, Jack. I’m sorry. We need ta clean ya up.”  
“Why? So I can go back to _him_?” Jack’s throat closed around the last word, his breath hitching.

Bunny watched his friend curl tighter into himself. He didn’t know what to do. Should he force him out? Keep trying to coax him? Eventually Bunny would have to leave- Dyll would be looking for him and they wouldn’t go undiscovered out in the open like this.  
“Did… did he do something ta ya?”  
Jack stopped breathing. Bunny reached a paw through the twisting branches and stroked the back of Jack’s head. Jack flinched but then leaned into the touch.  
“Please come out, Jack. I can’t help ya when yer in there.”

Jack moaned but stretched out a little, his eyes slowly met Bunny’s, red rimmed and exhausted. 

“I just wanna go home.” He sniffled and Bunny nodded.  
“Me too, mate. But we can hang on for three months, right?”  
Fresh tears welled up in Jack’s eyes, “I don’t think I can…”  
“You have ta tell me what’s wrong, Jack. I can’t help ya till then.”

Jack was silent, his tears running down to stain the sheet around his pulled-in knees.  
“I’m just… I’m so confused…” he stopped, casting his eyes around nervously.  
“About what?

“I don’t know what’s real. I… I had a nightmare, but I thought it really happened. When I woke up everything was like a normal morning and he had no idea what I was talking about.” Now that he was saying it aloud it sounded extremely stupid. Bunny’s brow creased in concern.

“What happened? In the nightmare?”  
Jack ignored the question, chewing on his lip, “I woke up and it felt… so, so real.”  
“It was about him?” 

Jack nodded, “You were in it too… he yelled at you.” Jack wiped his nose with the sheet.  
“Well, I haven’t been yelled at by him specifically. Most everyone else in this castle, but—“ he stopped at the look in Jack’s eyes, “What’s wrong.” The boy shook his head as if to throw off something foul.

“I thought it was…” he took a few deeps breaths, “I just… I guess I over reacted. I don’t’ know.”  
“Can ya tell me what else happened in the dream?”  
Jack met his eyes again and Bunny saw the hardness there. Jack had already begun to put that mask back into place. The vulnerability that occasionally slipped past his happy façade was slinking back into its shell.

“Jack—“ Bunny’s voice cracked with emotion, “no, no, no—don’t do tha’. Don’t shut me out. Come ‘ere.” 

Jack finally, _finally_ relented, slowly unfolding himself from the briars. Tiny scratches marred his otherwise smooth skin and he pulled the sheet around his shoulders. Once he was clear of the branches Bunny pulled him into a tight hug. 

The boy sobbed into the crest of fur on his chest. Gray fingers wove their way into the dark mane, clinging as if for fear of falling. Bunny murmured soft nonsense—a steady stream to block out the broken cries of his friend.  
“Shhhh… shhh, Frostbite. You’ll be alright. You’ll be just fine. _Shhh-shhhh-shhh_ .”

Jack felt himself relaxing to the quiet voice, sinking further into the warm fur. He was exhausted; his feet raw, his heart heavy and stomach sick. His face felt puffy and tender from crying and the dull ache in his throat persisted though his sobs trickled off.

Bunny’s ears perked up to a new sound. A soft slither seemed to echo from around them, it’s origin indistinguishable. His murmurs tapered off as he focused on the sound, ears quivering at the ready. He hadn’t noticed it before. His arms tightened around Jack as he felt a sudden sense of dread. 

With a blur of color the bushes seemed to explode, leaves and branches flying haphazardly around them. Bunny felt himself wrenched away from Jack before he could even define the assailants, their wiry arms hard from years of labor.  
Jack was screaming for him, over and over again, being dragged away by a woman with wild hair.  
The arms were around him and were soon joined by more, heavier arms. He twisted and could finally see the faces of his captors. The jaws of a viper snapped just inches from his nose and he cried out; the women above him had scalps full of twisting snakes!

He fought then, pulling desperately at their strong grips. He pushed upon the stone with his back legs and wrenched his body this way and that.

“Lemme go! _Let go ah me!_ ” They cackled menacingly, their voices burgeoned with sick delight. Jack’s strangled cries still rung out through the garden, desperately crying for them to release him.  
He was thrown out of the garden, scrambling to his feet as a large boot met his ribs. He doubled over, feeling the air whoosh out of his lungs.  
The next moment was a blur, his back forced into an unnatural angle as his spine was stepped upon and his ears dragged upwards. He cringed, the boiling breath of the guard upon his face.

“Consorting with the Queen while the King is in court! How vile!” One of the women screeched, her vipers swaying threateningly. The guard tugged on his ears as he tried to thrash. He went stiff as the pain splintered down into his forehead and eyes.  
“This cannot go unpunished.” The other snapped. She pulled a knife from her belt, placing the tip to his throat. He could feel his pulse pounding against the cold metal, his heart begging him to fight or flee with it’s incessant drumming.  
“He’s… my… friend” Bunny choked out, his breath coming in sharp gasps as the foot ground into his back.  
“The queen doesn’t need you. You are nothing.” The dagger pressed deeper, the hot prickling of the broken skin causing him to freeze. She took him in, smelling his fear, seeing the desperation in his eyes.  
“Where is Jack?” She called over his shoulders, “He should be around to see what happens to those who get in Hades’ way.”

He could hear a scuffling behind him as Jack was pulled from the garden. His voice was muffled, Bunny guessed they had gagged him to keep him from screaming. The boy still tried, his voice breaking around the fabric. His tone was angry and afraid and Bunny felt his stomach drop as he realized what they were going to do. What they were going to make him watch.

Jack was pulled into his line of vision, a robe draped around him in place of the sheet, face and hands bound and eyes wide with fear.  
The grotesque woman behind him pulled his head upright, forcing their eyes to meet. Jack’s were overflowing with tears, his body shaking in panic.

The dagger pressed into Bunny’s neck one last time and he closed his eyes. He couldn’t do this watching Jack. He hoped that the child had some common sense and would do the same. A heart beat. Two. The hot prickle of the blade opening his skin—

“STOP!” The voice rang out like a gunshot, the knife gone from his throat in an instant.  
He wrenched his eyes open to see the king stalking down the hall, dark robes billowing and face the epitome of rage.

“How _dare you_ ” He seethed. He wrenched Jack from the snake headed woman’s possession, cutting his bonds with a dagger produced from the folds of his tunic. He turned to the guard.  
“Let the rabbit’s ears go. Bind his wrists for now.” He tossed the cloth to the guard who did as he said. Jack was imploring to Hades on his behalf, his tortured voice cracking with the effort to save his friend.  
“—I was upset and- and he was trying to get me out of the bushes. We weren’t planning anything. We’re not trying to leave! Please!! The Erinyes are wrong. Please, please don’t kill him—he’s completely—“ 

Hades stopped Jack with a hand over his mouth. He removed Jack’s hands from his robe and turned towards Bunny. The pooka felt his insides grow cold again as the dark gaze of the king rested upon his prone form.

There was nothing he could say. He had been caught with the king’s husband, who was almost completely naked in a private place with his arms around him. There was no amount of explaining that would make it right for the vengeful royal.  
Hades towered above Bunny, his eyes flashing. He took a breath and began,  
“I don’t know all of the details, but from what I have heard you were in the company of my spouse when you should have been working. I will waive the punishment for any illicit activities—“ The Erinyes hissed menacingly and he held up a hand, “—but that doesn’t excuse you from forgetting your duties.”

Bunny was confused. Was he not being punished?

“I will require you to spend three days in the fields.” His stomach dropped, “at the time of completion you will come back to the palace and not speak with Jack outside of my presence again. Am I clear?” His eyes were completely black, the light reflecting eerily through the murky darkness. 

He was.  
And Bunny had never been more frightened in his life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> {Do your worst. I have. (P.S. I used WAYYYY too many italics in this chapter.)  
> Oh, and the picture is something I did while impatiently waiting for the beta to be done. There's a rebloggable version going up on my [tumblr](http://jack-frost-of-the-underworld.tumblr.com/).  
> I'm going to mention it while we're talking about art. If you guys want to draw fanart I'm totally down for that. I will promote your blog, reblog the fanart and even post it within the text on Ao3 if you let me (You'll be given credit of course). I think fanart is so cool and I've had a couple of people approach me about it. Know that I sooo want you to draw my little demon babies! DRAW THEM!!! }


	7. Avarice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He sunk through layers of consciousness, barely aware of which way gravity was pulling him, allowing himself to be battered along with the current of dreams until he finally slipped further into blackness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know it has been a while and honestly I don’t even think an apology would make up for me just dumping all of you. There’s been a lot of hectic stuff going on right now, but that shouldn’t be an excuse. Honestly I’ve just been exhausted and all of my free time has gone to just keeping myself sane. I’m about to graduate from college next week, I became a published illustrator last month (and am working on book 2 and 3 now) and I have applied to 9 internships for the fall. So that’s been my life for the past few months- how have you all been?
> 
> I know that not all of you have time to go and reread the whole thing and I don’t expect you to. So here is a brief summary of the past 6 chapters to refresh some memories:
> 
> Hades requires elemental spirits to come and live with him or he’ll create a big stink on earth cause he blames Seraphina for killing his wife (although it’s totally his fault and he’s diverting blame). Jack is the winter elemental married to Hades and spends the summer months with him. The Guardians find out—say what!?—and Bunny is having none of it. In a foiled attempt to save Jack he winds up being stuck in the Underworld and Jack convinces Hades not to kill him. Instead Bunny is now a servant. Oh, snap.
> 
> Jack and Hades frick frack. A lot. Bunny sometimes overhears things he shouldn’t be overhearing. Double snap.
> 
> Jack doesn’t always remember things very well because Seraphina suppresses his memory every year when he returns from the Underworld. When he gets back to the Underworld his memory starts filtering back. So Jack is not sure if the things he’s remembering in his dreams are real or just nightmares. Hades is acting none the wiser and Jack is freaking out. At one point he runs to the garden and Bunny tries to console him. This gets them both in a whole heaping sack of trouble and Hades sends Bunny to the fields. Dun-Dun-Dunnnnnnn.
> 
> ~~And that’s what you missed on…GLEE~~
> 
> P.S. This chapter is a lot shorter than the others. I'm trying it out to see if I like shorter or longer chapters :) Maybe with shorter ones I'll have less time between updates...maybe.

**The Bathhouse, Hades’ Palace**

It wasn’t so much a memory, but a feeling of wrongness that pulled him from the depths of darkness. He wouldn’t describe it as pain, more like his insides had been removed and placed back into the wrong spot. He felt unbound, the lines that defined him from the rest of existence a bit blurred. He sunk through layers of consciousness, barely aware of which way gravity was pulling him, allowing himself to be battered along with the current of dreams until he finally slipped further into blackness.

The dream spun him, jerking him in another direction towards color and sound that accosted his senses like a train pulling up to a darkened platform. He tore away from it, fighting the consciousness-instinctively knowing that the world of dreams would be much better company. He finally dislocated from the grasp of reality and found himself falling once again, this time landing in the darkness that welcomed him like warm sheets dried in sunshine. He drifted there for quite some time.

“Aster!”

Her voice, as clear as it had been that last day, rung out through the veil. It pierced through him like an arrow and for a moment she was there, her fur matted with the blood of their people as shadows blotted out the last of the red sun, turning to him for one last vestige of hope. He jerked awake to find himself staring into Jack’s worried eyes.

“Bunny?”

“…Jack?”

He had been sure that he had been dreaming but now that he was awake it was just beyond his awareness. He blinked slowly, looking around, and jolted slightly as a very naked Hades walked up to them, drying his hair with a towel. To his credit, Jack turned red and looked away when he noticed Bunny’s shocked gaze.

“You finally woke up.” Hades stated, moving to dry his arms, his hair still dripping. Bunny finally pulled his eyes away, diverting them to the winter sprite sitting beside him.

“Why are we in tha bathhouse?” he asked, looking around for the first time. Jack glanced at Hades. “You may answer.”

He said and Bunny quickly shot a glance to the hardness of Hades’ eyes and the slight indent in Jack’s cheek. He must have been biting it from the inside.

“I will be sitting over here. We’ve discussed what you’re allowed to talk about. Jack will explain the arrangement.” Hades moved a few feet away and sprawled upon a lounge chair. Two demons that worked in the bathhouse immediately plied him with drinks and began to dry him off themselves.

Jack sat uncomfortably and Bunny lowered his voice before asking, “Wha’s that about?” Jack met his eyes and he saw confusion there, “Do you not remember?” Now it was Bunny’s turn to be confused. “You were sent to the fields.” Jack supplied, “You’ve been gone for three days and asleep for another.”

Bunny shook his head slightly, as if to jostle the memory from where it lay dormant. “Am I supposed ta remember?” Jack shrugged and Hades answered instead, “You’ll remember in your dreams.” Jack met his eyes and Bunny could see the pity there. Feeling his temper flare he looked away from both of them, instead focusing his attention on the artfully tiled walls.

What had happened? As far as he knew everyone dreaded the fields, but if they didn’t remember in waking hours how was it truly a punishment? He heard Hades moving to get up, his empty glass clinking on the table and the sniveling apologies of the servants getting out of his way.

The sound of fabric pulling over skin met his ears and he realized that Jack would be asked to leave when Hades was ready. He should say something to him, assure him that he was fine. But he wasn’t entirely sure that it was true and didn’t want to give Hades the satisfaction of seeing him lie. Jack reached over and pulled Bunny’s paw into his own. He squeezed it firmly before letting go and following his husband from the room. The servants turned to Bunny now, but the rabbit was far too lost in thought to notice them preparing him to go back to work.

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**Hades’ Palace**

Jack walked briskly down the damp hallway, the sound of gurgling water from the bathhouse receding as he hurried along. Hades caught up with him and grabbed his arm, pulling him to a halt. Jack yanked his arm away, but stayed where he was.

“I know you’re upset with me, but we have to work together to get through this.” Hades’ voice was quiet, but Jack wasn’t ready to forgive him.

“You’re not being fair. He didn’t do anything to deserve this.”

“Well neither did I. Have you ever thought that your little guest might be making things hard for me?”

Jack laughed harshly, “Please! Like anything’s ever hard for you!”

“You know Jack, I think your problem is that you don’t ever see any other side but your own.” Jack rolled his eyes and opened his mouth to reply sarcastically, but Hades placed his hand firmly over Jack’s lips.

“If you would take the time to know someone, you might see how they would perceive a situation. You were found alone with a servant, naked but for a sheet and crying in his arms. If it were any other servant they would be dead and your time here would be much less… hospitable.” Jack glared at him, but saw his point. “Now, you’ve ignored me for three days. I hope you know that I am not doing this to punish you- but there is an order to the way things work and servants do not consort with royals- even royals who choose to blatantly disregard their status!”

“Oh I’m a royal now? You sure weren’t treating me that way with your hands around my neck!” Hades pulled back looking stunned. “What are you—“

“Oh, don’t play dumb! I know you can modify memories and I know that you rigged everything to make me think I’m going crazy.”

“Jack—“

“I’ve been ignoring you because you hurt me! Everything doesn’t revolve around Bunny! In the past three days, has it occurred to you to ask why I was crying wearing a sheet in the first place?!” Hades blinked, his brow knitting together. “I thought I was going to die and you pretend like nothing happened! Like you’re this loving and kind ruler who cares about me. But I know better.” Jack went to leave, but Hades stopped him.

“I honestly have no idea what you’re talking about. I didn’t lay a hand on you that you didn’t want.”

“I SAID THE SAFE WORD! I SAID IT AND YOU DID NOTHING!” Jack slammed into Hades chest as he pushed past, relishing in the god’s stumbling recovery.

“Jack!” But he was already gone.

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**Sousa, Brazil**

The darkness curled around him like a mother’s womb, pressing upon him from all sides. This time of night was truly the best, the moon blotted out by clouds and the stars muted. The stink of death clung to him, permeating the air around him with its poisonous foreboding.

He watched the stream of gold drift towards him, bringing dreams to the world.He sneered as one skittered past him, sprinkling his robe with the barest hint of glittering sand. He brushed it off, and the darkness returned.

A voice rang out from behind him, “I think it was working for you. You need a bit more color for this drab ensemble.”

He turned towards the other slowly, enjoying the way the golden light glimmered on his lover’s chest.

“See something you like, Thanatos?” The god said, sweeping bright bangs from his eyes. He smirked and cocked his brow, staying where he was. “Playing hard to get? Or do you have something to barter?” A small nod of the darker figures head was all it took.

With a wave of his jeweled hand the robes around him vanished. The dreamsand still lingered on the air, accenting his rippling muscles, “Well then, it’s a good thing I brought all of my tradeable goods”.

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**Hades’ Palace**

Jack was in the kitchen when the guard found him. He liked the kitchen staff- they were normally tight lipped when it came to the guards and he could usually find sanctuary in heat and sound. It was another of those things about the palace that he hadn’t remembered until his feet brought him to the sweaty room. Muscle memory, he guessed.

This time though, the guard didn’t need to ask the staff if he was there or muscle his way through the crowd to find him. The hulking boar entered the room with such certainty that Jack was positive he had been told where to look. Jack took the envelope that the demon offered him and was surprised when he left. They would normally bully him into returning to wherever he was supposed to be. Not that he was complaining about the sudden disinterest in his truancy.

He pulled the wax seal from the paper beneath, opening the parchment within. In Hades’ looping scrawl—how had he known what Hades’ handwriting looked like? Nevermind—he read:

_“Jack,_

_I do not quite understand what is going on with us recently, but I feel that it is my place to try and correct any wrongs you may have perceived. I should have gone to you when you were upset. I wanted to give you time to calm down, but I should have had better judgment._

_Jack, I am going to be honest with you. I am sorry for what you have experienced. Your time here in the past has always been a pleasure to the servants and me. You are a wonderful guest in my house and I hope with time, you will think of this as your second home.I want to offer my time to you, and my ear. I am here for you always and will listen without judgment._

_I imagine that living with me is not the easiest thing, especially now that emotions are running high. I know that my jealousy has been a bit apparent in the last few days, and I promise to work on it. You have to understand that I am still trying to figure you out—you have always been a great mystery to me, more than the others. But know that I do truly have feelings for you, Jack, and I want to be an important part of your life—not just some man that you are chained to._

_I want to know your heart and see your fears and your triumphs. And more importantly, I want to share mine with you. It has been quite a long time since I felt the urgency to open up to someone at such a raw level. You bring out the best and worst in me, it seems._

_I hope that you will accept my invitation to the Isle of the Blessed for a week. I think we will have time there to really connect without the added stress of the castle. I want to listen and be there for you, so someday you will run to me when you are troubled._

_With deepest Regards,_

_Hades._

Jack read through the words at least three times before sighing and straightening in his chair. There were doubts clouding his vision, and fears twisting in his belly. He wanted to trust the words on that paper: to let himself be led in blindness and to allow himself the ease of ignorance. But…

He clenched the letter within his hands. He saw the fear in Bunny’s eyes. He could still see the pooka shaking in his sleep, his claws grasping as he fought for consciousness. Hades had done that to him.

Even if it were against the rules for a servant and a royal to comfort one another under normal circumstances, Hades should have made a provision.Jealousy aside, he should have realized that Bunny was more than just a servant. That pushing him to the breaking point would only make Jack want to get away from Hades more. That in fighting to break the pair from above up, he was strengthening their desire to save one another.

Jack was confused and worried. He didn’t know if he should trust Hades or if his nightmares were dredged in truth. He wished North were here. The burly Russian always seemed to have a plan, even if that plan was to just barrel through until something good came about. Jack wondered if that would work in this situation. Just keep moving forward until things cleared up- pretending to trust Hades, while keeping an eye on him. It seemed to be almost the only thing he could do.

If he didn’t comply to the god he and Bunny could end up at the bottom of the river. Or worse.

Jack wouldn’t allow him to hurt them again. He wasn’t stupid. He knew now what kind of man Hades was, but at least he had revealed some of his plan. For this summer at least, Hades wanted to play friends. So they would be friends. _Keep your enemies close_.

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**The Royal Chambers, Hades’ Palace**

That night Jack returned to their chambers with his stomach in knots. Hades was on the couch, parchment strewn around him. Jack changed behind the fold out partition. A new robe had been laid out for him.

Hades had still not moved from the couch, his eyes focused on the paper in his hand. Jack lay down on the bed, sighing. He didn’t want to fight again, his energy and mood drained from a day of wandering the castle aimlessly, but he would be lying if he hadn’t expected it. It was a few minutes before Hades finally spoke again, “Sleep well, love.”

Jack held down a sarcastic reply. He glanced at Hades from under his bangs, and found that he wasn’t looking, “I got your letter.” He busied himself retying the knot around his waist. Hades put the paper down on the coffee table and slowly turned to look at Jack, his face carefully set. Jack bit his lip, watching Hades’ eye flicker down to the movement of his hands, only to be pulled back up immediately. “You are… strangely articulate on paper.” Jack offered.

Hades scoffed lightheartedly, the cool collected mask of a ruler breaking with a wide grin, “I am a king, you know. I should probably know how to write diplomatically.”

“Was it all diplomatic? Or was some of it driven by other reasons?”

“Well, I would say that I was trying to mend bridges in the most transparent way possible.”

“Letters are good like that.” Jack shifted to look more towards Hades, and the god did the same.

“So what did you think? Would you like a vacation from the Erinyes?” Jack nodded, his stomach tightening as he lied, “Thank you for asking. I’ve been wanting to talk to you…without getting upset. I just feel so trapped here.”

Okay well, maybe not a complete lie, but a bit of a stretch. Trapped, yes. Talking, not so much. But Hades was smiling that illustrious smile and Jack just wanted things the way they had been. The way that he remembered them. When Hades would have taken him to the Isle of the Blessed for a vacation just for the hell of it, not for a makeup present.

But the large shape-shifting alien being patched up in the bathhouse had kind of come and shattered that illusion of happiness. Jack wasn’t sure if he was grateful for the veil being lifted or if it would have been easier to go about in ignorance.

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**The North Pole**

They gathered once more, nervously shuffling as the minutes wore on.

“Why isn’t he here?” Tooth asked, her wings keeping a frenzied pace.

“He will come,” the large Russian assured her, never breaking stride as he paced from the couch to the globe and back. The three Guardians were all there. Apollo had promised news by tonight, and that morning had sent a small scroll with a time and place to meet. He was at least 30 minutes late, but North had refused to look up at the clock, feeling that watching the passing of seconds would only make them last longer.

He stalked back and forth, his large footsteps rattling the floorboards as the elves skittered around his feet.

“Perhaps he not coming.” He finally concluded and Tooth’s head whipped around to meet his gaze. “He has to!” She nearly wailed, “He promised he would have news by today.” Sandy nodded, though his expression was still full of concern.

North picked up his pacing yet again, setting his feet in a steady rhythm and trying to calm his aching nerves.

“What if they are both gone?” he voiced his fears and saw them reflected in the group, “What will we do?”

Tooth fluttered over to him and placed a dainty hand on his back, “I know we are worried but you have to remember that they aren’t children. They are more resourceful than we give them credit for.” North sighed, but the agonizing worry still knotted his stomach. She continued, “If anyone were to survive this don’t you think it would be Bunny and Jack?”

North met her eyes and nodded. She held out a hand for Sandy who grabbed it readily. If they needed anything right now it was a little bit of hope and joy. And it was exactly what they were missing.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I would like to thank my lovely beta Ptomlin. I would never EVER have gotten this done without your support :) Go read her ah-MAH-zing stories [here](http://archiveofourown.org/users/PTomlin/pseuds/PTomlin) and follow her tumblrs [here](http://ptomlins.tumblr.com/) and [here](http://repurposethestars.tumblr.com/)  
> There are many other people I need to thank but I'm thinking of something else to do for them :) Shhhhh it's a secret!  
> I love you guys so much! The next chapter should be up shortly- the plot will start picking up a lot more from here on out so I think I'll be extra inspired! Leave a review if you want to talk! Thanks guys u^u

**Author's Note:**

> I’ve started an RP blog, where you guys can come and interact with Jack from this story. His knowledge will be based on whatever chapter I’ve posted up to (i.e. He doesn’t know how this story is going to end either, so don’t bother asking)  
> You can find me on [Tumblr](http://jack-frost-of-the-underworld.tumblr.com/). I’d love to talk!}

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [The arrangement of marriage](https://archiveofourown.org/works/1657130) by [MidnightEmberBlack679](https://archiveofourown.org/users/MidnightEmberBlack679/pseuds/MidnightEmberBlack679)




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